‘Incredible’ stars such as Liberty X and Abz helping Spalding Festival break attendance records… and there’s still time to party
This year’s star-studded Spalding Festival is breaking attendance records… and it’s not over yet.
Festival chairman Matt Clark expressed his gratitude to attendees during the first two days of this weekend's event, which has seen the likes of Liberty X, Abz from 5ive and Ben from Phats and Small take to the stage.
"I'm actually lost for words," Matt said.
"Friday was a great start with Abz (5ive) and Ben (Phats and Small), who were an incredible duo to close out the first night.
“Our new addition of the dance tent was a hit, and we even saw our local MP busting some moves on the dancefloor on Saturday afternoon.
“Liberty X were an amazing closing group on Saturday night, but for me Groove Cartel really stole the show.”
The festival's expanded offerings have been well-received, with long lines at the quality street food vendors and concession bars, including the Pimms double-decker bus and Imaginarium's cocktail Horsebox.
The fairground and kiddie rides also got the youngsters smiling.
Emphasising the festival's commitment to inclusivity, Matt stated, “We are a community festival and therefore we must offer something for the whole community.
From our fabulous drag bingo queens to the high energy dance tent not to miss the kiddie TV mascots to the exciting FA Cup final fan zone, we have had great engagement.”
While Matt did not disclose the amount of money expected to be raised for local charities, he noted: "We are seeing a most significant increase over previous years.
“Attendance is up, people are staying longer, of course meaning spend per head has increased too. However, we rely on a strong Sunday to deliver a record weekend.”
Today (Sunday), the festival's final day, has featured a church service in the morning, performances by local dance groups Diamondz Dance and Asian Dancers on the community stage, and a free silent disco to close the area.
The main stage is showcase top regional bands, including Halo and Revolver, culminating with chart-toppers The Hoosiers.
The dance area, Cadence, is set for its biggest day with a drum and bass set headlined by RV and rising star Summer.
The festival organised by Spalding Round Table and Ladies Circle, along with a host of other volunteers from the community, has regularly been receiving significant reach on social media in the 100s of thousands, and even attracted the interest of Ladies Cicle National Vice President and Round Table’s national chairman, who both attended the event on Saturday in support.
“It has been incredibly hard work taking this significant step up, but the committee has been amazing, coming together around this more extreme vision, sometimes with blind faith,” Matt said.
“We have loved seeing the enjoyment on people's faces and have been humbled by the hundreds of thank-you messages we've received in person and on social media. I'm very excited to see the weekend close out and to confirm the funds raised for charity.
“We hope the weather is as kind as our followers have been!”