A FESTIVAL that organisers hope will be the island’s answer to Woodstock will take place in Port St Mary this summer.
Called, ‘Deep South Festival’, groups of all descriptions are invited to perform on one of two stages that will be erected in giant marquees.
All proceeds from the festival will go to Rebecca House, the children’s hospice.
‘Any musicians who would like to put their names or group forward should,’ said organiser Chris Carr. ‘Anybody can take part, they can sing, recite poetry, whatever. We are hoping to get people like Rushen Players performing Open All Hours. Anybody that wants to come should get in touch, we want as many groups as we can get.’
Chris said he woke up one morning and decided the island needed such a festival. ‘I want it to be family orientated. I lived in Coventry before I moved here five years ago. They have a festival there that is fun, family entertainment. That’s the pattern we want to tap into. Families can come and throw down a blanket and enjoy the festival. If we get the weather, we will be talking about this for years to come … I do not want to restrict everybody to rules and regulations. This will be Woodstock Manx-style.’
He has experience through running his company Great Outdoors – which supplies equipment such as market stalls – of organising events and behind the festival there is a group of 10. Half that group includes Peter Young, the former policeman who runs Event Management Solutions, music promoter Kevin Madigan, Department of Education and Children youth officers Dave Hattersley and Cathy Clucas.
‘This is nothing to do with business. All proceeds go to charity,’ he said. ‘We have had to beg, steal and borrow. I’m pretty good at prodding and poking. This is the best place in the world, every time we have said about this being for charity, people go the extra yard, people do it, it’s wonderful.’
In addition to performances, there will be farmers’ and artisan markets and a funfair. Because of space restrictions, there will be no catering vans.
Parking will be available on half of the field where the festival will take place.
As it is in the field known as the stone field at Ballacreggan Farm, where there is the massive standing stone, he said: ‘I want to make the stone the centre piece for that weekend, there is some lovely history attached to the stone.’
He said 12 acts have been booked so far and there are 18 slots remaining (there will be 10 acts each of the three days). He invited others to step forward.
‘There are bands I do not know, it’s a chance for them, they could be the next Rolling Stones. We [the island] produce great cyclists and performers. The thing that has got me everyone thinks they have to go across and the answers are there, that’s not necessarily so.’
Deep South Festival will be from 10am to 10pm from August 16 to 18.
Entrance is £10 for a family ticket, £5 for a single tickets and £2 for pensioners.
To perform at the festival or volunteer email chriscarr8169@aol.co.uk or phone 365880