Gosport music festival to liven up waterfront
By Connor Steel
THE GOSPORT WATERFRONT FESTIVAL will once again be held at Walpole Park this summer in a huge weekend of music, with organisers confirming dates and entertainment line-ups in a recent press release as tickets became available for purchase for the three days of fun aimed at all ages in the community.
The dates for the festival have been set for July 29-31; with music from 5pm to 11pm on Friday evening, then 12pm – 11pm on both Saturday and Sunday. As in previous years the main stage will feature in Walpole Park, near the town centre with views across the waterfront to Portsmouth.
Starting with the theme of ‘Local stars of the future’ the festival will begin with showcases of artists and musicians from across the borough; with a competition to be held at the Carisbrooke Arms pub over the weekend of April 6-8 including a final to decide the line-up. Anybody interested in entering the competition should enquire by emailing event organisers on gwf-media@outlook.com.
Friday’s entertainment will end with the highly talented Portsmouth-based Ska Band 2Much2Tone, whilst the one and only East17 are set to headline Saturday’s music; with the popular boy band set to sing their hits including eighteen top-20 singles and those from top-four albums such as Let It Rain.
The final day of showcases will star the great Gareth Gates, who is a former runner up of the ITV talent show Pop Idol; being signed by Simon Cowell to his BMG label despite losing to Will Young in the singing competition in 2002. Since then Gates has sold over three and a half million records in the UK.
Across Saturday and Sunday, there are set to be contributions from local bands alongside the main acts with regular intervals built into the schedules to accommodate this. It has been confirmed that all of DD Allen, Rhythm City and Zed Zepplin will play on Saturday, whilst James Westbury, AMBA and Tesero are set to perform throughout the afternoon on Sunday.
Alongside the main attractions on stage, there are other activities suitable for all ages. Funfair rides and fun will feature at low prices, whilst local businesses will be permitted to sell their products on stalls in the park. Refreshments are also available with hot food facilities near the stage, whilst a bar will sell alcohol to visitors.
Early bird tickets are available to buy for the festival with some good prices offered until April 13. Individual days will cost £2.50 on Friday alongside £8 for Saturday and Sunday respectively. VIP tickets are priced at £40 for the whole weekend, whilst non-VIP access for the three days costs just £15. It has also been confirmed that children under twelve go free with a paying adult.
PICTURED BY GOSPORT WATERFRONT FESTIVAL: Huge crowds around the stage in Walpole Park during a previous such event, with similar numbers hoping to attend in late July for the 2022 edition.
