Colne ready to host world famous Rhythm and Blues Festival this weekend
Colne will be transformed this weekend, as the 33rd Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival takes place in the town.
Some of the finest rhythm and blues artists around will perform across the Bank Holiday Weekend, with the likes of Dom Martin, Matt Schofield, Chantel McGregor, Ian Siegal, Dave Arcari and The Cinelli Brothers all featuring.
Performances will take place from Friday evening until the early hours of Monday morning in the three main venues, the Pendle Hippodrome, The Exchange Project Stage and the Fort Vale sponsored Little Theatre Acoustic Stage.
An enthralling weekend will get underway with a very special tribute to Blues legend Victor Brox on Friday night in the Pendle Hippodrome, with new collaborations and guest appearances guaranteed. The evening will be headlined by Victor’s daughter, Kyla Brox, one of the very best soul-blues singers the British Isles has ever produced.
Alongside the main venues, The Official Fringe will also be a big draw over the weekend, with hundreds of performances in venues across the town.
There will also be fun and activities for all the family including street performers, a funfair, buskers, food vendors and plenty of #ShopLocal opportunities.
Online ticket sales close for the event on Wednesday 21st August at 6:45 pm. Tickets can be purchased here: www.bluesfestival.co.uk/tickets. Tickets will be available to purchase from Colne Town Hall once the online sale has closed.
Ahead of this weekend’s festival, main sponsors of the event, Barnfield Construction, have been reflecting on a long and successful history of supporting the event, with many of their employees regularly in attendance.
Jonathan Nixon, Estimator at Barnfield, said: “I have been going to the Blues Festival in Colne for over 20 years. The Managing Director at Barnfield is a massive music fan and he is delighted to sponsor the festival every year and it’s a massive part of what Barnfield is about.
“It is the number one weekend in Colne, people come from all over the place. There’s a friendly atmosphere, fantastic people, hopefully good weather, imagine a festival which is just out of this world.”
Annabel Lewis, Sales Co-ordinator at Barnfield Construction, said: “I have been going for the last couple of years and I have lived in Colne for my whole life. We have got some really good events in Colne, and I think this is the biggest one that we’ve got, and it is always really well attended.”
Jenny McAndrew, Managing Surveyor at Barnfield Construction, said: “I’ve gone to the Blues Festival for years and it is just the whole street vibe with everyone outside, it’s usually good weather and hopefully it will be this year, and all the community will be coming together.
“For us at Barnfield it is one of the biggest things that happens in Colne every year, it’s brilliant for the town, all the local businesses, so to support that means a lot to us.”
To keep up-to-date with this year’s event, visit The Great British R&B Festival’s social media channels and their website: https://www.bluesfestival.co.uk/
