Solfest 2010, 27-29 August. Rock, Roots, World music and beyond in Cumbria

June 1, 2010 - PRLog -- 27TH –29TH August 2010, Tarns, near Aspatria, Cumbria

Originally funded from aid money intended to regenerate the Cumbria economy after the county was hit particularly hard by the foot and mouth disease outbreak of 2001, the inaugural Solfest enticed 1500 paying punters to the picturesque site in rural west Cumbria. In 2009 the weekend festival attracted around 12,000 people making it the largest music festival in Cumbria and the far north west of the UK.
What helps cement Solfest’s popularity is the work of the committee that runs the festival. All are willing to work unpaid in their spare time throughout the year to help organise this special and unique event. The committee members live and work in west Cumbria and so they are passionate about the county, a region that not only suffered the decline of its major industries of coal, iron ore and steel production over the last fifty years but also made the national headlines when, in November 2009, west Cumbria was hit by devastating floods that caused catastrophic damage to the nearby towns of Cockermouth and Workington.
The entire main street, numerous houses, shops and pubs were flooded in Cockermouth and the main roadbridge into the town of Workington was washed away by the immense power of the water resulting in the tragic death of local policeman PC Bill Barker. The only other bridge into Workington was permanently damaged and deemed unsafe.
Throughout the rest of west Cumbria the storm did enormous damage, with many other bridges impassable and people having to conduct 50 mile round trips to cross from one side of Workington to the other.
Although at the time the region may have seemed down, it was certainly far from out. The fantastic community spirit that has sustained the area through previous hard times saw people rally round to help friends, neighbours and the wider community.
That community spirit extends to Solfest, which in its spirit of “can do”, annually demonstrates the best traits of the local character and a genuine desire to continually create something positive out of adversity. Solfest 2010 offers an invitation to everyone to come and sample that generosity of spirit, that hardy attitude, and the magic of a region that we believe hosts some of the most breathtaking scenery in the British Isles.
Now firmly established as one of the best festivals of the UK summer, Solfest celebrates its’ 7th year over the bank holiday weekend of 27-29 August 2010.
Nominated Best Family Festival in the UK Festival Awards every year, and winner 2007, Solfest is quite simply the biggest and most established festival in the North-West. Held annually at The Tarns, near Wigton in west Cumbria, Solfest boasts the most impressive location and panoramic views of any UK festival with a backdrop that includes the Lake District, the Galloway Hills of Scotland and the Isle of Man.

“Friendly, laid back and perfect”, The Guardian
“Solfest remains one of the best solutions in the whole year for festival lovers desperate not to succumb to the ever more corporate alternatives” Virtual Festivals
“Vibrant communal festival” The Daily Telegraph
“Once upon A time all festivals were like this” Efestivals

Solfest 2010 will welcome more than 100 acts from across the musical spectrum of indie, world, rock, folk, dance and roots including James, The Magic Numbers, The Wailers, Alabama 3, From The Jam, New Young Pony Club, The Mummers, Wallis Bird, Goldheart Assembly, Amoric, Eat Static, Utah Saints, Astrid Williamson, Peatbog Faeries, Pikey Beatz, Sean Taylor, O’Hooley And Tidow, Adam Freeland, Banco De Gaia, Far Too Loud, Mad Dog McCrea, The Japanese Popstars, Abi Hercules And The Easy Tigers, Six10repeater, 999, Patty Plinko And Her Boy, The Baghdaddies, Baka Beyond, Orkestra Del Sol, The Destroyers, Russkaja, Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six, Tastebuds, Haight Ashbury, The Lovely Eggs, Kitchie Wud, Becca & The Broken Biscuits and many more still to be confirmed.

Add to this music on seven stages, including The Bar Stage, Drystone stage, our huge Dance Tent, Chill Out Tent, Acoustic tent, Open mics, a plethora of children’s entertainment, workshops, spectacular site art, a huge range of food stalls, Indoor market, Solar cinema and our hugely popular Cumbrian Solfest ale and cider, and it’s obvious where you should be bank holiday weekend 27-29 August.

Tickets are now on sale. You can purchase via 01900 602122 or in person at The Carnegie Box Office, Finkle Street, Workington, Cumbria.
Adult weekend Tickets are £89 Children’s weekend tickets: under 5s – free (although you’ll still need a ticket) Children 6-11 £25 Young people 12-16 £62. Thursday camping tickets £10 per vehicle.


For more information on the festival please visit the festival website www.solwayfestival.co.uk