It’s all systems go for two exciting and varied music festivals being held in the Woodbridge area this weekend.
Maverick Festival is being held at Easton Farm Park from Friday, September 3 to Sunday, September 5. Timings are from 5-11.30pm on Friday, 11am-11.30pm on Saturday and 10.30am-2pm on Sunday.
Also this weekend, the Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music, a sustainable and not-for-profit event headlined by Jazzie B, will be held in Elmhurst Park on Saturday, September 4, from 12 noon until evening.
Both festivals have a wide range of Covid-safe measures in place.
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The Maverick festival features Americana, blues, rock and roots music from both sides of the Atlantic. It usually takes place in July, but has a later date this year due to Covid.
Maverick was launched in 2008 and celebrated its 10th anniversary at the 2018 event. Its biggest claim to fame is giving Ed Sheeran his festival debut in 2008.
This year’s event will include performances from more than 50 artists on six outdoor and indoor stages, as well as films and workshops.
Performers include well-known TV personality Rich Hall, who is a TV comic and documentary maker as well as a musician, country star and Maverick favourite Hank Wangford, singer/songwriter Kate Ellis, and alternative/indie band Black Eyed Dogs.
Also on the bill are Los Pistoleros, Dana Immanuel and the Stolen Band, Jerry Joseph, Sara Petite, David Banks, Jon Langford, Brooks Williams, 40 Elephant Gang and many more.
US-based singer-songwriter Alyssa Bonagura, who has supported both Ringo Starr and Rod Stewart, is playing on both Saturday and Sunday.
There will be a wide range of food on offer including pizza, paella and pasta, Thai, tacos, Texan barbecue and chili and many veggie options, as well as Suffolk cider and a selection of ales and wines.
It’s possible to buy a range of tickets including weekend camping or individual days. To book for Maverick, visit the festival website.
Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music
Describing itself as “the small festival with big ambitions”, the Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music will be headlined by Jazzie B of Soul II Soul fame with a DJ set.
Jazzie B is known for classic tracks such as Keep On Movin’ and Back To Life, which propelled him into the mainstream, with a groundbreaking fusion of London’s sound system culture, hip-hop, house and soul.
Also playing in the park are Ibizan Balearic legend DJ Chris Coco, chart-topping UK House pioneer Rocky (X Press2), soulful songstress Aruba Red (daughter of legendary bass player Jack Bruce of supergroup Cream), Nu-Disco trail blazer Simon Lee/Faze Action, rising Czech singer Maella and DJ, writer and festival programmer Ben Osborne of Noise of Art.
Acts from Suffolk include Daddy Turbo, veteran of Ipswich sound systems and BBC Radio Suffolk’s Ebony Eye. Manningtree’s BBC 6 Music favourite Kevin Pearce and Lowestoft’s Basement Jaxx collaborator, as well as 2021 US and UK dance chart topper Nathan X.
Woodbridge community choir Pop Chorus will start the day with melodic versions of contemporary songs, while JS & The Lockerbillies will also be appearing alongside DJs Smoothgroove, of Ipswich Community radio, Suffolk funk and soul DJ Daniel Lee Harvey and North London selector Litmus.
As well as the music, the event will include eco-friendly events aimed at families, including Forest School craft, bushcraft and toy workshop sessions and Wild Beach workshops with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
There will also be a word/ literature area, poetry trail, kids zone, arts streams and workshops. Refreshments include the local producers Food Street, featuring some of the region’s popular eateries, as well as bars.
For full details of the Woodbridge Festival and to book, visit the festival website.
Find more things to do through the Head East cultural tourism campaign.