Hire The Navvies | Ceilidh band in Bury Saint Edmunds

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From£625

1 hour

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Another dance at a wedding

About The Navvies

A ceilidh / barn dance band available for weddings, parties, community get-togethers, fundraisers - any occasion in East Anglia!

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Ceilidh band

Bury Saint Edmunds

Public liability insurance of £3 million

Formed in 2007, The Navvies are very experienced in celebrating with you, whatever your special event. Comprising fiddle, whistles / flutes, guitar, mandolin, bass and vocals, we have a wide repertoire of folk music and can create a programme with your preferred theme of English, Irish, Scottish, Americana or a mixture of them all, depending on your requirements. Many of the band come from a professional music / academic musical backgrounds and play together now as friends and colleagues. We specialise in weddings and larger parties and cater for all abilities of barn dancers. We come fully equipped with a grade-A sound system, multi instrumentalists and an expert caller to guide you through the event. In addition to calling dances for your party, we can also provide live instrumental music and songs for those times when you might wish to take a break from dancing. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us for a no-obligation quote, or simply to ask advice about putting your special occasion together.

The Navvies

4.7 out of 5

9 verified reviews

Satisfaction

4.7

Professionalism

4.7

Communication

4.7

Punctuality

4.8

The Navvies' Reviews

5 out of 5

Absolutely amazing. The navvies were incredible at our wedding. The communication leading up to the event was great and everyone loved the ceilidh. Can’t recommend them enough! Thank you so much.

Reply from The Navvies

4 days ago

Thank you for the 5 star review Rebecca. It was a brilliant evening, enjoyed by all - including the band! Wishing you both all the best for the future. x

5 out of 5

They were wonderful! So friendly and helpful. Great. We had them at our wedding and would 100% recommend

Reply from The Navvies

12 days ago

Thank you for such a lovely review Natasha. We loved being part of your wedding; it was so enjoyable to have a full dance floor and to see so many happy faces all evening. Wishing you both the very best for the future.

5 out of 5

The Navvies were perfect. Timely responses to emails and the band were very flexible as we compromised on available space and the weather. Music quality was brilliant and I would certainly recommend them. We were a small family gathering (30 people) and nothing was too much trouble for this small group.

Reply from The Navvies

11 months ago

Thank you for the 5 star review John, and for your kindness. It was lovely to meet you all and we hope the rest of your celebration weekend went well. What a stunning venue! Best wishes, Ann

5 out of 5

Hi Ann, It was lovely to meet you, Keith and the band at the weekend. Many, many thanks to you both and the band for an excellent and fun evening of ceilidh music and dancing. I had a complete ball and you guys made my celebrations, thank you, Ali :)

Reply from The Navvies

1 year ago

Thank you Ali. It was such a great evening which we all enjoyed. What a great crowd! Congratulations on your special birthday. X

Read all 9 reviews

Thank you for your wonderful performance at my wife's surprise 60th birthday. I had many positive comments from our guests and my wife was absolutely thrilled to see everyone enjoying themselves so much in her honour! Your caller Gill put everyone at their ease too, and even our least confident dancers were up again and again for each dance. I shall definitely be recommending you to family and friends and with your permission, will pass on your contact details to any enquirers. Thank you again for such a special and memorable evening. Adam

We had such a great wedding and it was mostly down to you - The Navvies - for making our evening so special. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!

Read all 4 reviews

Encore badges

10 gigs

Experienced: 10 bookings through Encore

Saved the day!

Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice

2nd Anniversary

This act has been working with Encore for over 2 years

The Navvies' Song list

Ceilidh dances include:

The Dashing White Sergeant

Circassion Circle

Strip the Willow

The Flying Scotsman

Bridge of Athlone

Lucky Seven

Roger de Coverley

Buttered Peas

OXO Reel

Highland Scottische

Muffin Man jig

Snowball

Gay Gordons

Cumberland Square 8

Pat-a-cake Polka

Sweets of May

I want to be near you

... and many more dances.

Songs include:

I'll Tell Me Ma

Old Dan Tucker

Black Velvet Band

Dirty Old Town

Cockles and Mussels

McPherson's Rant

Five Years' Time

Teenage Kicks

The Navvies' Prices

Last updated: 2025

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Duration	Price
Up to 1 hour	£625
Up to 2 hours	£750
Up to 3 hours	£875

Customer questions

Can you perform covers?

Yes, we have a range of songs and tunes to perform in addition to the traditional Ceilidh music.

Do you have different line-up options?

Our line up is fiddle / vocals, flute/whistle/vocals, guitar, banjo/mandolin/guitar, bass guitar. We can provide a smaller or larger line up for a ceilidh if you require: anything ranging from 3 to 7 musicians.

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

That's fine - just keep us up to date with any changes to your event.

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

Absolutely yes. This is part of our service and included in the quoted price.

How much time do you need to set up?

We prefer one hour.

Do you provide a caller?

Yes, we always have a caller to guide you through your evening. If you have your own, just let us know!

Can I pick the songs you play from the set list?

We are always happy to chat through your requirements to ensure your guests have a fantastic time.

Is all of the equipment (e.g. PA) included in your quote?

Yes, we have a full PA system included in our quote.

Can you learn song requests before the event?

If a song is not included in our song list, there is still a chance we know it, and if there is a special song you would like us to perform, just let us know!

Musicianship

Genres:

Folk, Ceilidh, Irish rock, Folk rock, Traditional English folk, Traditional Irish folk, Traditional Scottish folk

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Types:

Ceilidh band, Folk band, Americana band, Folk-rock band

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Event types:

Wedding, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Concert, Charity event, Corporate event, Private event, Bar / Club / Venue event, New Year's Eve, Christmas party, Birthday party, Burns night

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