It’s all systems go for the Wickham Festival which will go ahead as planned from August 5-8.
Organisers have confirmed the show will go on following the latest government announcement easing lockdown restrictions.
With a host of star names including Van Morrison and the Waterboys, the four-day festival is already heading for a sell-out – and a late surge in demand is expected now that fans know the event has been given the green light.
Organiser Peter Chegwyn said: “It is fantastic that festivals can go ahead with no legal restrictions on capacity. It is great news as we have record ticket sales and our audience are desperate to get out and enjoy top quality live music.
“We are delighted that we held our nerve with our decision not to cancel which has now been vindicated. We are all set for a record-breaking, successful and safe festival.
“We will of course still be monitoring developments and taking all the appropriate safety measures as the well-being of the artists, staff and fans is our main concern.
“The main stage will now be open air and we have doubled our arena space. We will be setting up plenty of sanitising and hand-washing stations. We will encourage people to bring their own chairs and to respect each other’s space but we have a mature and responsible audience so I am quite sure they will look after themselves and each other.
“We have always prided ourselves on our family atmosphere and top-quality entertainment and that will not change.
“Everyone is looking forward to the end of lockdown and going out and enjoying music events again and that has sparked a huge demand for tickets especially as we have such a strong line-up.”
Other artists include Lindisfarne, Nick Lowe, the South, Show of Hands, Seth Lakeman, Nine Below Zero and the SAS Band including Steve Harley (Cockney Rebel), Tom Robinson, Graham Gouldman (10CC), Toyah, Madeline Bell and Spike Edney (Queen) – plus many more.
In addition to the four music stages, there will be late-night comedy featuring Keith Farnan, Steve Bugeja, Jayde Adams and others. And there will be the usual craft stalls, high quality food outlets and plenty of free entertainment for children.
Chegwyn added: “One of our big selling points is the laid-back atmosphere and the fact it is safe for children to wander and play. We know people want to go out and enjoy life again and we are delighted to be able to offer the chance for them to do that in a safe outdoor environment.
“That is reflected in our sales. With Van Morrison headlining, Saturday is almost sold out already – and the other days are not far behind. We have sold more season tickets than ever before and camping is filling up rapidly too.
“Everything is set up for this to be the biggest and best event we have ever run – and after the year we have all endured, that will be a real tonic for everyone involved. We are so excited to be able to do this.”
Tickets and full details of artists, camping and prices are available from www.wickhamfestival.co.uk