EVENTS - CEILIDHS, BARN DANCES AND HOE DOWNS
Please note: if your event is not in the East Midlands area, CLICK HERE to visit Fiona's agency website. She will be able to offer excellent bands in most areas of the country!
Are you considering having a Ceilidh or a Barn Dance or a Hoe Down as the evening entertainment for your Wedding or Civil Partnership?
If so, then, we know for sure that you’re on to a winner so if you’re visiting this site to find a terrific band and caller, then you’ve come to the right people!
JIGABIT Ceilidh and Barn Dance Band has a fine reputation built up over 40 years of gigging and playing for Weddings and Civil Partnerships (and many other occasions). Even if we’re already booked on the date of your party, or if your venue is a long distance from the East Midlands, Fi will offer you another great band and caller.
What’s so good about a ceilidh or barn dance for a Wedding evening party?
Having a live Ceilidh or Barn Dance band come and play for your wedding evening party is the best way to get all your family and friends mixing together, having a really great fun evening. All ages can get involved as the Caller who comes with the band will select appropriate dances which are suitable for everyone. So all the youngsters, grannies and aunties can dance a reel or a jig, a waltz or a polka or even a step-hop hornpipe together - no previous dancing experience is required, and the steps are easy. It really is the best ice-breaker ever!
Our fab Caller invites people up to join in, puts people at ease, explains all the steps to everyone before JIGABIT is let loose on you, so even if some of your guests have never been to a Ceilidh or a Barn Dance, your party will be commented on by your guests for many a day afterwards as the whole day will have been made extra special with this form of entertainment for the evening.
We really believe that having a ceilidh or barn dance is far better than having a disco all night. However, it works very well to book a DJ or arrange your own laptop with a selection of contemporary music for later on, after the Barn Dance or Ceilidh ends, if you wish to have a longer party.
Please see the FAQs for more info about this, as some important points to be noted about booking a DJ as well as a live band.
Which style of music do we book?
Do you want a themed wedding Ceilidh or Barn Dance? Whether you want a good all-round Barn Dance Band, or very traditional sounding Scottish Ceilidh Band, or an authentic sounding Irish Ceili band, or a good rompy English Ceilidh band, or even an American or Western themed Hoe Down band for your wedding party, Fiona can help with this, offering the most suitable Band and Caller for your wedding “do”.
JIGABIT plays music in all of these styles, but if you want a more specialised band, Fi can still help. In addition to playing in her own band JIGABIT, most of the other Barn Dance and Ceilidh bands Fi deals with offer a good mixture of the various musical styles, playing tunes from the British Isles and some from Canada and the USA, all of which work beautifully for this type of dancing, but if you wanted a strong emphasis on one particular style of music for your wedding ceilidh, just let Fiona know this on your initial enquiry.
How long is JIGABIT available for?
JIGABIT offers availability of up to a maximum of 3 hours, including a mid-way break for the band and for any refreshments to be served. Having a ceilidh for up to 3 hours is plenty, but having a shorter slot is fine too, if you’ve arranged for a disco afterwards.
Do we have to dance all night?
No, not at all! We’re very aware that guests at a wedding party may not have seen each other in years, and that you’ll want to chat to family and friends, so no, you’re not obliged to dance every single dance, but the more you join in, the more your guests will follow suit and fill the floor with dancers all night.
More help at hand!
Please look through the FAQs (CLICK HERE) for lots more advice, tips and general information about having a wedding barn dance or ceilidh.
Photos by Gareth Newstead Photography