Bourne Festival 2023 sells out of real ales and ciders
Thousands of people drank hundreds of pints of beer and enjoyed dozens of live bands.
The 21st Bourne Festival started with crowds queuing at the gates to the event at the Wellhead Park on Friday night. The three-day event continued to be busy until it closed on Sunday evening, having sold out of real ales and ciders hours before.
Organisers Bourne Round Table and said that apart from last year, which was a special four-day event to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, that numbers attending were unbeatable.
“It was an absolutely phenomenal weekend,” said Kevin Gutteridge, from the Round Table.
“We couldn’t have wished for better weather. Normally you get periods where it slows down and it is a bit quieter but we didn’t get that at all this year. It was amazing and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the event.”
Among the guests, though, was an uninvited swarm of bees on Sunday afternoon which lead to the closure of one of the funfair rides. But Kevin thanked Baston-based Fen Apiaries which attended quickly and helped safely box up the bees quickly. First aiders were on standby but they were left without a job to attend to, thankfully.
“In all the years of running the festival, we’ve never had as many bees attend!” Kevin said. “It wasn’t what we expected but it was dealt with very quickly and efficiently, and everyone continued to enjoy the event.”
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Among the weekend’s highlight performers were Bourne-based The Great Pretenders who headlined on Friday night, and Ultra 90s and 00s band who performed on Sunday.
Kevin also said the acoustic performers on Sunday were particularly well-supported by crowds.
The festival raises thousands of pounds for good causes each year, with Dimension Skatepark receiving £25,000 as one of the recipients of last year’s cash.
