The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Roaring ticket sales for this month’s Spalding Festival prove that people are thrilled to see its return.
The music and beer festival is back for the first time since 2019 – and online sales are up 197 per cent on that year.
The three-day event at Castle Sports Centre is run by charitable organisations Spalding Round Table and Spalding Ladies’ Circle and gets under way on Friday, May 26.
There will be an outdoor stage as well as one indoors. Acts performing across the weekend include popular local covers band Revolver, Oasis tribute Morning Glory, Ska Britannia, Spalding’s Meg McPartlin and Zebra, Halo and DJ Shaun Neal with a 90s set.
The drink offering is the best-ever collection, with 102 different beer barrels, 15 varieties of craft beer, 17 flavours of cider and a gin and Prosecco bar.
It’s very much a family event with children’s entertainment including fairground rides, inflatables, sports coaching, free circus skills classes and movies Luca and Encanto Sing-Along showing on the big screen.
The event is run by volunteers, known as “volunbeers” – and has raised £100,000, with all proceeds going to local good causes. It missed the last three years due to a COVID hiatus.
Festival chairman Tom Bradshaw said: “We’re incredibly proud to be able to host the event for the town again.
“The line-up of music acts is brilliant with so many styles and genres covered.
“And we’ve got a significant range of beers, ciders and gins – it rivals the biggest of the beer festivals and they’re all expertly picked and maintained.”
Headline sponsors are Bakkavor, Springfields Outlet Shopping and Leisure, Hills Furnishings, Ark Property and Bravo Power while dozens of other firms have sponsored barrels.
Tom said: “It’s been fantastic to see the response from local businesses and supporters who have sponsored us.
“Without their support we genuinely wouldn’t be able to hold the festival and donate as much money as we do.”
More volunteers are needed across the weekend (those who give time are free to stay after their shift at no cost).
Anyone who can help on the bar, at the gate or with stewarding is asked to get in touch via Spalding Festival’s Facebook page.
Also on that page is a Name the Festival beer competition. The winner gets two weekend passes and a stack of drinks tokens.
For details on opening times and to buy tickets see www.spaldingfestival.co.uk
Pay on the gate is possible but organisers say guest numbers are capped and the only way to guarantee entry is to buy tickets in advance via the website.
