Whitehaven Diamond Jubilee Festival 2012
Friday 1st-3rd June
It has always been a very special occasion but this year the Whitehaven Festival hits new heights.
It will be held in celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, from June 1-3 and we will be celebrating simultaneously with the rest of the country.
She said: “I won’t ever forget the first time that I performed in Whitehaven because it was such a special and touching concert and I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.”
Because the festival coincides this summer with the Jubilee it will be an even bigger party and it has a series of
sensational performers lined up to take part.
Organisers have been ecstatic to have clinched the Jenkins deal – particularly on what, nationally, will be the biggest weekend of the year, when such stars are in big demand and chief organiser, Gerard Richardson, is still euphoric about having Katherine Jenkins back, pointing out that, since last year, she has had two further sell-out albums.
The Saturday sees “a line up of mega 70s stars for an evening of the Best of the 1970s. This group of artists has an incredible pedigree and collection of number one hits, some of which have been covered many, many times. The line-up is: The Real Thing – (You to Me are Everything), and I Can’t Get By Without You No Way; Odyssey of I’m a Native New Yorker fame; The Three Degrees, Woman in Love and When will I see You Again?
Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers-- The Rollers sold over 300 million records worldwide and became legendary with hits such as Bye Bye Baby. Then there’s Showaddywaddy with hits like Three Steps to Heaven and Under The Moon of Love and many more; and Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel who did Make Me Smile; Here Comes The Sun and Mr Soft. This promises to be one of the best nights ever with three and a half hours of nostalgic dancing music.
The Charlatans headline on Sunday June 3 backed by The Enemy, Simon Townshend and The Lottery Winners. For more than two decades now, The Charlatans have been an inspirational force in British rock. they remain as exciting and relevant now, as when they first broke through to the immortal strains of ‘The Only One I Know’ – if not, more so, as a new generation of young bands and fans today hail them as lifelong heroes.
Simon Townshend, guitarist, singer and songwriter is the younger brother of The Who’s Pete Townshend. In recent times he’s toured with Roger Daltry and supported Eric Clapton and of course performed with The Who.
The Enemy specialise in music about friendship and social commentary like The Jam and The Libertines. Their line up comprises: Tom, lead vocals, guitar, piano, strings on album; Liam Watts - drums; Andy Hopkins - bass guitar, vocals.
Born in Salford and raised on romance, The Lottery Winners have found the triumphant medium between the suffering of the Smiths and the blithe of the Beach Boys.
Among the other celebrities at the festival will by chefs Ainsley Harriot and Jean Christophe Novelli together with former Coronation Street star, now artisan cheesemaker, Sean Wilson, Martin Platt, in a former life. The Festival is also hosting a Cake Baking Competition and the first prize is a Culinary Experience at Jean Christophe Novelli’s cookery academy.
Entries must be pre registered by the middle of May and cakes will be judged on style and taste. The judging panel will include a celebrity chef.
And of course the Festival also plays host to the usual huge array of tall ships, air shows, celebrity chefs, a continental market, a Cumbrian market, street theatre, celebrity guests, and a huge fun fair.
Park and ride schemes will once again operate from north of the town at Lillyhall and south from the Westlakes Science Park. See you there!
Website: www.thewhitehavenfestival.co.uk
