The organisers of this year’s Rock Oyster Festival have unveiled a fantastic line up of live music and children’s entertainment, guaranteed to keep the whole family entertained.
Now in its fourth year, the festival returns to the banks of the Camel Estuary, north Cornwall, onFriday 21 to Sunday 23 June.
With a unique blend of fantastic food, eclectic music and quirky entertainment, festival organiser Charlie Anderson and his team have been working hard on some exciting new elements.
Charlie said: “This year we’ve really focused on bringing a wide range of musical sounds and styles to the festival. With over 30 live acts across the weekend, we’ve everything from gypsy pirate and soul to hip hop and folk.
“We’ve brought back the big top and added an acoustic woodland glade stage which is perched on a hill overlooking the estuary. The festival site at Dinham House is just gorgeous and we really pride ourselves on providing a safe, green environment where children can run around and families can relax and enjoy themselves.”
Friday night has a pirate theme with 3 Daft Monkeys weaving their world music alongside nine piece gypsy-punk troupe Seas of Mirth.
Highlights on Saturday include Smerins Antisocial Club, whose diverse style encompasses old time swing, hip hop, ska, dub and rock. They will be followed by Slamboree, a ten piece band of musicians and circus performers, whose energetic shows combine live electronic music with circus acrobatics, pyrotechnics and theatre.
Things turn to folk on Sunday with songstress Martha Tilston and The Half Sisters who will be sure to charm audiences with their harmonious melodies.
Children are certainly well catered for at this year’s Rock Oyster Festival, with a designated kids area and a vast array of activities to choose from. Archery, circus workshops, seashore scavenging, face-painting, football and fairground rides are just some of the things on offer. There is even a dedicated tent for baby changing and breast feeding.
On the entertainment front, Camp Kernow will be taking little ones on a unique environmental adventure with den building and wood whittling. Circus Berzercus will be dazzling the crowd with their Café Chaos show and Mark’s Ark will be bringing a variety of exotic animals with his hands-on display.
The best of Cornwall’s food and drink will be on show over the weekend including award-winning food producers and top chefs. The Flying Fish Chefs’ Theatre will be hosting guests Joanna Weinberg, The Times columnist and food writer; Padstow chef Jack Stein from The Seafood Restaurant; and Thom Hunt of 7th Rise and the Three Hungry Boys.
The festival also features food from Cornwall’s best restaurants and artisan producers. Many local restaurants including the St Moritz Hotel will be serving up local seafood and Cornish ales and ciders will be also on sale.
Emma Bebbington, General Manager of Sharp’s Brewery, one of this year’s festival sponsors said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Rock Oyster Festival this year. The festival site is just up the road from us and the whole event is a big mid-summer celebration of what we have to offer here in Cornwall. Keep your eyes out for Ed Hughes, our resident beer guru, who will be doing some food and beer pairing on Sunday in the new Food Academy.
“We will be bringing our whole portfolio of beers to the festival including limited edition ales. We’ll also have our rowing simulator with us giving festival goers the opportunity to race their friends out to the Doom Bar without even getting wet.”
Advance purchase weekend tickets for adults start at £50 and £10 for children. Weekend tickets on the gate subject to availability start at £65 for an adult. For more information and to purchase tickets visit: www.rockoysterfestival.co.uk.
ENDS