Mike Kirrage has been promoting roots-based music for 50 years. In 2007, he founded the Gate to Southwell Festival, an annual roots music event held over the first weekend of July. As both Festival Director and Artistic Director, he leads a small team in selecting artists from thousands of applications each year. The festival features three main stages and showcases 50-60 acts spanning genres from folk, country, and blues to rockabilly, ska, and punk. While the lineup primarily includes UK artists, it also features performers from Europe, North America, and beyond. This year’s headliners include Richard Thompson, Seckou Keita, and El Pony Pisador, with past acts such as Rhiannon Giddens, Le Vent du Nord, Dervish, The Spooky Men’s Chorale, and Raghu Dixit.