The Phoenix Festival showcases music, dance and family fun
for its seventh consecutive year over the summer bank holiday weekend!
This ever popular free-to-enter music and arts festival takes place for the seventh time on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th August in the Abbey Grounds, Cirencester where it will entertain festival fans with four performance areas, a creative zone, a podcast zone, fun fair, traders stalls and lots more.
Across the two main stages, a whole host of fabulous performers will create a musical soundscape of soul, punk, rock ’n’ roll, harmony, ska, indie, rock, pop, folk, blues, choral, funk and reggae.
“We are very excited to have yet another fantastic festival with a great line-up for everyone” said Event Manager, Glen Moreman “We’ll be welcoming back artists from previous years, including the very first year, and saying hello to others for the very first time”.
Comebacks include the legendary “Human Jukebox” Pavo; singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist George Montague; charismatic duo Ethemia; the action packed fourteen-piece Soul Destroyers; foot-stomping Rhythm Slingers; and the swaggering quintessentially Britpop Boys.
Newcomers include party band The Shadow Monkeys; show stealing six-piece Al’a-Ska; singer songwriter NJ Gardner; bluesy groove Rude Mood; all female community choir Cirencester Singers; and UK open mic finalist Lilly Hobbs.
Topping the bill on Saturday, are top tribute act The Rolling Clones who promise a blistering set of bluesy roots and psychedelic rock covers of international hits, all delivered in the spirit of mischief making Jagger and Richards.
On Sunday, Totally Tina, the No.1 tribute to the Queen of Rock n Roll offers a spectacular mix of nostalgia and surprise with a “Vegas” style award winning show, guaranteed to be Simply the Best!
The hugely popular Let’s Play Music Stage have scheduled nearly 50 acts and include returning drummer Morgan Kent, singer/guitar player Bethany Irving and look out for Lost Luggage, a new local three-piece band, who will be making their Phoenix debut.
Arena performances this year include Circus of Science demonstrations; Yoga with Sandy Woodcock; and Dance Fitness with Charlotte Tickle. As well as festival regulars Cirencester Creative Dance Academy; Minety Dance Theatre School; and Tug of War.
The Bandstand area will see the return of the popular Creative Zone with the Phoenix Wishes Tree and where recycled craft materials, sourced from Swindon Scrapstore, will be used to create and decorate festival Flags, Bunting and handmade flowers. Other activities include Circus Skills with Claire’s Circus; workshops with the Circus of Science; and stories for children with The Book Fairy.
Broadcasting live, the festival welcomes back Corinium Radio and BBC Gloucestershire with their roaming reporters, pop up studios, radio cars, live interviews, “be a presenter” or “technician” kits, post Phoenix recordings and for the first time through BBC Glos, a contribution to the national “Listening Project” that records conversations across the whole of the UK, providing content for Radio 4 and the British archive. The Festival also introduces the Podcast Zone, hosted by Pavo & Neil Entertainment where you can learn how to make your own podcast.
The Festival will also feature, a fun fair, festival traders, charity and community information stalls along with festival food and drink.
Glen added “This festival has become the biggest free-to-enter community event in Cirencester. We are immensely proud to be in our seventh year and to honour what the young people of Cirencester first gave us back in 2013: a festival that is accessible to all. It’s going to be an amazing weekend and that’s ultimately down to the good will and generosity of our diverse and fantastic community of volunteers, artists partners and supporters who keep the Phoenix soaring; long may it continue!”
For all your festival information be sure to buy a festival programme over the weekend. To get involved and support the festival contact info@phoenix–festival.co.uk and go to the website www.phoenix-festival.co.uk and social media pages.
