Great Response to Valley Festival

ORGANISERS of this year’s Valley Festival have been elated by the huge response from local groups who wish to take part.

There will be non-stop music over two days on Saturday June 15 and Sunday June 16.

In partnership with Fox Valley, the daytime events will be held in combination with the shopping centre’s food festival and their third anniversary celebrations.

The Saturday Night Live concert, which proved a big hit last year, will be held on the Saturday evening at Stocksbridge High School with a wide range of local performers including Bolsterstone Male Voice Choir, co-presenters of the music festival with Inyerface Arts, No Identity and other young singers, Thurgoland Community Choir and the Bus Pass Buskers.

On Saturday afternoon at the High School there will be a youth concert with singers and dancers, including choirs from Stocksbridge and Deepcar junior schools.

Four hundred local musicians took part in last year’s first Valley Festival, the biggest musical event in the district for 80 years.

Festival director Hilary Osborn said: “We are very excited about this year’s event. The response from local groups has been fantastic already. We will be having two wonderful days of non-stop music.

“The partnership withDransfield Properties will make for a brilliant festive atmosphere in Fox Valley and the evening and afternoon concerts at the High School promise to be memorable.

“The aim of the festival is to showcase the district’s brilliant musical talent and the fund we started last year has already helped young local music groups.”

Organisers are pleased that the BBC’s Trisha Cooper has agreed to be compere again.

Amanda Holmes of Dransfield Properties, the company which owns and manages Fox Valley, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Valley Music Festival organisers and some of

the brilliant musicians from our area on what promises to a fabulous weekend of entertainment.” The family of Raymond English, a prominent, well-respected, long-serving member of Bolsterstone Male Voice Choir, who died aged 92 in October, are donating a trophy to be awarded to the most promising young person or youth group performing at the festival. Rob Firth, Bolsterstone MVC secretary, said: “This is a very generous gesture and is particularly fitting given that Raymond was active in promoting an appreciation of music among young people which is a prime aim of the Valley Festival.”