Festivals July .qxp_Layout 1 20/06/2022 10:57 Page 2
Festivals coming to the region in July...
Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Moseley Park, Birmingham, Fri 8 - Sun 10 July
Created by the Midlands masterminds behind Moseley Folk & Arts Festival, Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul sees world-class artists coming together with leading lights of the local jazz community for a laidback family-friendly event designed to celebrate Birmingham's musical heritage. The festival is located in the picturesque surroundings of Moseley Park, a stunning woodland glade tucked away behind busy Birmingham streets, making it the ideal retreat for music-loving city dwellers. 2022 line-up includes: The Specials, Earth Wind & Fire Experience ft. Al McKay (pictured), Cameo, Fatback Band, Nightmares On Wax, The Wailers, Children of Zeus and Oh My God! It’s The Church
Solihull Summer Fest
Simmer Down Festival
Tudor Grange Park, Sat 23 & Sun 24 July
Handsworth Park, Birmingham, Sunday 17 July
Celebrating its sixth year, Solihull Summer Fest is fast becoming one of the most popular music get-togethers on the Midlands events calendar. The festival features more than 10 hours of live music across two days, a selection of street food and a variety of bars serving everything from real ale to prosecco, cocktails and Pimm’s. This year there are two events taking place before the main festival: an open-air cinema screening of Rocketman - plus an Elton John tribute - on 21 July, and Ibiza Proms In The Park, featuring the Secret Symphony 50-piece orchestra, on the 22nd. 2022 line-up includes: Shaggy, Billy Ocean , Sister Sledge (pictured), Kool & The Gang, Boyzlife, Belinda Carlisle, Bad Manners, Shalamar, Artful Dodger, Lemar, Duke, The Real Thing, Doctor & The Medics
Festivals
Upton Blues Festival Upton-upon-Severn, Fri 15 - Sun 17 July
Set in the beautiful riverside town of Uptonupon-Severn, Upton Blues started in 2001 as a small event taking place in just a couple of pubs. The festival now features a full weekend of live, free-to-experience music across three main stages, pubs, boats and clubs. And this year for the first time, the campsite will open on the Wednesday before the festival. Tickets cost £15 for the weekend. 2022 line-up includes: The Folly Brothers, Kara Grainger (pictured), Mumbo Jumbo, Northsyde, The Big Ginge Blues Band, Greg Coulson, Born Healer, Dusk Brothers and Keith Thompson Band
Bromsgrove Folk Festival The Bowling Green, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 July
Simmer Down has become one of Birmingham’s most popular and diverse festivals. Featuring music, dance, spoken word, visual arts, commissioned work, workshops & participation activities and outreach & young people’s programmes, the family-friendly event celebrates the city’s rich cultural diversity with a line-up of internationally acclaimed artists and homegrown talent. Rooted in North Birmingham, the festival pays tribute to the centrality of reggae and other musical genres that have contributed to Birmingham’s growing reputation as an international city of culture.
Now in its 31st year, Bromsgrove Folk Festival offers patrons the chance to enjoy intimate concerts by UK-based folk, roots & acoustic performers. Taking place at the town's Bowling Green Inn, the festival spreads across two marquees, with sessions and singarounds taking place inside the pub. 2022 line-up includes: Artisan, The Jigantics, Anthony John Clarke, Union Jill (pictured), Quicksilver, Mad Jocks & Englishmen, Mair Thomas, Joe Bayliss, Pete Abbott, Dave Gibb, Silvington, Fairfield, Stitherum and Tosh Ewins
2022 line-up includes: Third World (pictured), Odyssey, Iqulah Rastafari, Havana Meets Kingston, Dub Qalandar, Big Ship Allaince, Reggaelators and Winston Fergus whatsonlive.co.uk 19
