The second ever Shrewsbury Fields Forever Festival is gearing up to go off with a bang in just a week’s time.
The event is Shropshire's dedicated annual multi-arena indie, rock, alternative, electronic, dance, popular music and arts festival, which takes place at the Shropshire Showground in Shrewsbury.
Tickets have already outsold last year’s event, which saw big name acts such as The Charlatans, Zane Lowe and Pendulum entertaining the crowds. Around 4,000 people are expected to flock to the showground for the three day event this year from September 14-16.
Following feedback from revellers, the local committee behind the festival shook things up a bit and introduced an extra day and a comedy element. This year’s event which features music, comedy, art and charity, is open to people of all ages across the three days and welcomes campers on-site.
The festival opens on the Friday with a range of DJs and dance acts and campers can set up their pitches. Saturday features all the main headline acts as well some strong support acts, local musicians and competition winners.
New for 2012, Sunday sees a range of acoustic artists take to the stage interspersed alongside a bevie of top TV stand-up comedians.
2012 Friday acts include Herve, The Ratpack, Sonny Wharton and a local heroes stage.
Saturday will be opened by the winners of Shropshire's Next Big Thing competition, Arcade Parade who beat off tough competition through a series of rounds earlier in the year. They will perform alongside chart topping headliners The Wombats, who is flying in from the USA to perform especially at the festival, as well as Ms Dynamite, Ocean Colour Scene's Simon & Oscar unplugged, The Sunshine Underground (who hail from Shropshire), Utah Saints, Anne Savage, 12 Dirty Bullets, and local bands Fight the Bear and The Clocktower. Nationwide Live and Unsigned Competition winners Coco & The Butterfield's who are hotly tipped for great things will also perform.
Sunday will bring the festival to a more gentle close with music from up and coming star and Brit School attendee Lily Juniper, Aziz, who has performed with heavyweights such as Paul Weller and The Stone Roses and Professor Penguin, with comedy from TV comedians Mark Watson, Andrew Maxwell and Lucy Porter, among new talent fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
There will also be a fairground, art and community village to complement the varied musical offering as well as food and drink.
For 2012, the festival will be also be supporting several charities including Help for Heroes with the assistance of the Shrewsbury Detachment of the Army Cadet Force, The Rainbow Unit, currently based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Care.
Festival Director, Dene Edwards paused from proceedings to speak to the Star. He said: “The line up really is something special. It is extremely varied and it’s pretty cool to have artists of this calibre performing in Shrewsbury and I genuinely believe there is something for everyone.
“The core team of passionate people behind this festival have worked really hard all year. Although we are a fairly new event, it’s fantastic to be back for another year and with an improved and extended weekend event we can’t wait to let the party begin.
“Tickets have sold well considering there are have been so many other huge events this year with the Olympics and jubilee. You can still purchase tickets online for the weekend or just a day and there will be some available at the gates at a slightly increased rate – so get them before and you can relax and enjoy with us!”
For the full line up, more information, or to book tickets visit the website: www.shrewsburyfieldsforever.com
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