Stage is set for first Oakwell Festival in Birstall

The stage is set for a new festival to entertain the district with three stages of family-friendly fun.
Lucy Spraggan will play Oakworth FestivalLucy Spraggan will play Oakworth Festival
Lucy Spraggan will play Oakworth Festival

The first Oakwell Festival at Oakwell Country Park in Birstall will kick off at noon today.

Organisers hope it will attract around 2,000 people.

Headliners will include The Hoosiers, Lucy Spraggan, The Dunwells and Mark Morriss.

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Festival organiser Anthony Longstaff said arranging the event had been a labour of love.

He said: “Putting the festival on has been a full-time hobby.

“Oakwell Country Park has a great amphitheatre and we’ve been trying to make something good for the area. We’ve tried to keep it family-friendly with bands that are pop rather than heavy.

“And we wanted to keep it as local as possible, with local sponsors and local artists.”

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Anthony said he would like to see the festival return next year, but that it would depend on the outcome this weekend.

“We just want people to enjoy the day. People can help us by having a good of a day as possible so we can continue next year,” he said.

The festival is intended to help local bands establish their brand and reach a wider audience.

He hoped the weather would hold out for the weekend, but said organisers were prepared.

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“We are prepared for storms and acts of biblical proportion,” he said.

“Festival goers are usually resilient, but if it rains they might dance around naked, which we don’t encourage!”

Tickets can be purchased on the gate at £20 for an adult and £10 for a child aged 10-16. Children under 10 go free.

More information and a full lineup can be found at www.oakwellfestival.co.uk.

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