The Met presents the seventh annual Big Whistle Festival on Thursday 22 - Saturday 24 May, featuring headliners Fairport Convention, Kan and Nuala Kennedy. 

With the humble tin whistle at its core, The Big Whistle Festival presents a unique range of concerts, sessions and workshops from a mix of traditional and contemporary musicians. The festival opens in style on Thursday 22 May with BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Lifetime Achievement winners Fairport Convention, who have celebrated 45 years at the forefront of English Folk Rock. 

Friday evening sees Irish whistler and flautist Nuala Kennedy presenting her mix of hauntingly beautiful vocals and adveturous instrumentation with an imaginative mix of influences. The evening then comes to a lively finish with Wigan folk-rockers Merry Hell, formed from the ashes of 90s rabble-rousers The Tansads. 

Saturday afternoon gigs feature Manchester fiddler Emma Sweeney, innovative young folk group The Outside Track and a new alliance from Last Night’s Fun and Back Of The Moon front men Chris Sherburn and Findlay Napier. 

The weekend comes to a close with Kan - the combination of Brian Finnegan of Flook, Aidan O’Rourke of Lau, Ian Stephenson of Baltic Crossing and Halle percussionist Jim Goodwin. Together as Kan, the four create an enthralling and beautiful new sound. 

Nestled between all these great concerts The Big Whistle Festival also offers artist workshops and 

intimate sessions throughout Saturday 24 May, with whistle makers and retailers on hand throughout the weekend to give advice if needed. 

All concerts and workshops will take place within The Met in Bury, a nationally recognised centre for folk music boasting two venues, a restaurant and a professional recording studio. 

Weekend tickets for The Big Whistle Festival are £60, Friday and Saturday Tickets are £45 and Saturday Only tickets are £32. Individual concert and workshop prices vary.

For full details and to book tickets visit www.themet.biz/bigwhistle or phone Ticket Office on 0161 761 2216.