Barn Dance Bands - for your Event

Live Music Booking Service for Your Party, Wedding or Event from - Midsummer Music - the music people


To see available Barn Dance Bands
select your County or Location



About Barn Dance Bands

The Barn Dance Band pages list bands that are available in your area. People often get confused by the different names such as; Ceilidh, Barn Dance & Hoedown, so to find out what kind of dance band you should be booking for your wedding or event in your area, click the link below:


Let's have a look at the kind of bands that come under the category of Barn Dance. The band could play predominantly English folk tunes, or mostly American folk tunes. But the reality is that many bands that define themselves as Barn Dance Bands play a mixture of musical styles, including perhaps European and Eastern European music.

So, it is important that you read the description the band have provided and listen to their music so that you appreciate the band's style and range. If you want a specific style of music and band e.g. English or American, then use the drop down boxes at the top of this page to select a narrower filter for the band, such as 'American Barn Dance Bands'.

If the dance is for a wide mix of people, it is often a good idea to choose a band who play a range of music, so that there is more variety."

A Barn Dance Band is one of the best entertainments for Parties, evening Wedding Receptions and other events such as fund raising dances that take place throughout the year. It gets people who have never met before to get to know each other and the music volume is not so high that people can still hear each other speaking - (Unlike when there's a DJ on the go!)

Not everyone knows the difference between a Ceilidh Band and a Barn Dance Band. The truth of the matter is they are essentially the same thing. Both have a caller who teaches the dancers. The music is folk music of various nationalities.

Ceilidh is the Celtic term, so this covers Scottish Ceilidh Bands and Irish Ceili Bands. (Notice the alternative spelling. Other spellings are Caleigh, Kaley, kaylee, kayleigh etc. so you can't really spell it wrong!) The bands would tend to play Celtic folk tunes. Many tunes are claimed by the Irish, Scotts, English and Americans, but the style of playing them would be different.

Barn Dance is usually the English and American name, where English or American folk tunes would be played. Having said that, many of the dances are common to both a Ceilidh dance or a Barn dance.

Many bands perform a range of music and do dance that suites all styles. This is particularly good for a wedding ceilidh or birthday barn dance, where a range of guests have to be catered for. For an event such as a Irish St Patricks night, or a Scottish Burns night, then a specialist band would be more suitable.

The band often get the dance started by playing some instrumental music to create the atmosphere.

For a Wedding Barn Dance a Barn Dance Band would normally do a first dance that included the Bride, Groom and all the guests. The Caller would invite absolutely everyone onto the floor to join the happy Couple. (No one can decline to do so, since it would be impolite). The Caller will make the first dance very straightforward so that even those who were lacking confidence find they could manage it. This gets the Barn Dance going. (Some newlyweds prefer to do a first dance to a waltz, then invite everyone to join them, or alternatively do a prepared dance to music provided by them on a MP3 player. This also works.)

For a wedding anniversary Barn Dance or office party event, it is a very similar format. The first dance is generally easy, so that the Caller can see how much people do or don't know, whether they are 'on the ball', and how energetic they seem. The dancers become sure of themselves, and the caller can judge the level of dances that would run well for the rest of the evening.

Barn Dance Bands always have a Caller who teaches the dances, so even those who have never been to a Barn Dance before can manage. The Caller asks people to get into sets, often not being certain what dance to do until they know how many people have come up. They will demonstrate the dance, running the dancers through the dance slowly. They may run them through all or some of the dance a second time, based on how complicated it is and how much the dancers already know. Then the musicians will play a short introduction and the dance begins. The caller watches what is going on, perhaps giving directions and helping those who have got tangled up or gone the wrong way. It can be very exciting and is always great fun.

Generally there is be a break half way through the Barn Dance for a hog roast or buffet, so that everyone can have a rest and stump up some more energy for the rest of the dance. If there are some expert dancers, the Caller could do a few more difficult dances for them, but all in all they will ensure that everyone is managing the dances and having a good time.

Other types of music

All Female String QuartetsEnglish Barn Dance BandsNew Year Party Bands
American Barn Dance BandsFolk Solos And DuosParty Bands
Ceili and Barn DancesFunction BandsPop Bands
Ceilidh BandsHarpsScottish Ceilidh Bands
Ceremony Music For WeddingsHire Local Live BandsString Quartets
Classical DuosIrish Ceilidh BandsWedding Ceremony Songs
Classical GuitaristsJazz BandsWedding Entertainers
Classical Music For WeddingsJazz DuosWedding Music Bands
Classical PianistsJazz GuitaristsWedding Songs
Classical SingersJazz PianistsWedding String Quartets
Classical Solos Duos And TriosJazz QuartetsWind Ensembles
Covers BandsJazz Solos And Duos
Covid or Lockdown MusiciansJazz Trios

Locations where our musicians play:

Barn Dance Bands: AldridgeBarn Dance Bands: HerefordshireBarn Dance Bands: Staffordshire
Barn Dance Bands: BedfordshireBarn Dance Bands: HertfordshireBarn Dance Bands: Suffolk
Barn Dance Bands: BerkshireBarn Dance Bands: HuntingdonshireBarn Dance Bands: Surrey
Barn Dance Bands: BerwickshireBarn Dance Bands: KentBarn Dance Bands: Sussex
Barn Dance Bands: BuckinghamshireBarn Dance Bands: LancashireBarn Dance Bands: the East Midlands
Barn Dance Bands: CambridgeshireBarn Dance Bands: LeicestershireBarn Dance Bands: the East of England
Barn Dance Bands: Central ScotlandBarn Dance Bands: LincolnshireBarn Dance Bands: the North East
Barn Dance Bands: Central WalesBarn Dance Bands: LondonBarn Dance Bands: the North West
Barn Dance Bands: CheshireBarn Dance Bands: Mid WalesBarn Dance Bands: the Scottish Borders
Barn Dance Bands: CornwallBarn Dance Bands: NorfolkBarn Dance Bands: the Scottish Highlands
Barn Dance Bands: County DurhamBarn Dance Bands: North WalesBarn Dance Bands: the South East
Barn Dance Bands: CumbriaBarn Dance Bands: NorthamptonshireBarn Dance Bands: the South West
Barn Dance Bands: DerbyshireBarn Dance Bands: NorthumberlandBarn Dance Bands: the West Midlands
Barn Dance Bands: DevonBarn Dance Bands: NottinghamshireBarn Dance Bands: Wales
Barn Dance Bands: DorsetBarn Dance Bands: OxfordshireBarn Dance Bands: Warwickshire
Barn Dance Bands: EnglandBarn Dance Bands: ScotlandBarn Dance Bands: Wiltshire
Barn Dance Bands: EssexBarn Dance Bands: ShropshireBarn Dance Bands: Worcestershire
Barn Dance Bands: GloucestershireBarn Dance Bands: SomersetBarn Dance Bands: Yorkshire
Barn Dance Bands: HampshireBarn Dance Bands: South WalesBarn Dance Bands: Yorkshire and the Humber