AN evening of festive folk music is set to return to Finchingfield.

A Winter Union are performing for their second year in a row at St John the Baptist Church as part of their Christmas tour, which started on December 1.

The concert promises to get fans in the Christmas spirit and is the penultimate gig of their 2018 tour.

The five-piece band – made up of Jade Rhiannon, Katriona Gilmore, Jamie Roberts, Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage – originally formed in 2015 for a one-off Yuletide concert, but ended up reforming the following year for more shows, including London’s Cecil Sharp House and a live session on BBC Radio 3.

Now they are introducing BBC Folk Award nominees Gilmore & Roberts to the band for their fourth year of touring.

The show features soaring harmonies and exquisite musicianship as the band delights audiences with a repertoire of original seasonal songs, fresh arrangements of traditional carols, both well-loved and little-known, and classics from both sides of the Atlantic.

Katriona Gilmore, on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, said: “We are delighted to be coming back – it’s a lovely church to play in and promoters Rod and Marian are always so welcoming.”

Rod Stokes, who organised the event in support of the church, said: “It is an outstanding Christmas show in this beautiful Essex village church.

“My wife and members of our family saw the show three years ago and two years ago. The musicians are all outstanding and are in three individual bands.

“At Christmas they come together and present a mix of traditional Christmas songs, carols, contemporary stuff and some self-penned. Last year we decided to put it on and the vicar of Finchingfield allowed us to use the church.

“It was outstanding and very popular so we decided to do it again.”

The Finchingfield concert is tonight at 7.30pm. Tickets are available online or from Rod Stokes on 07579 006027.

They are priced £15 in advance or £17 on the door, with a donation going towards the church.