Northampton set to rock to sounds of local talent at annual music festival

The main stage for the one-day festival on Sunday June 18 will be on the Market Square, with the headline act announced this week as 20-piece funk and soul band Jazz Colossus, who will be taking to the stage at 8pm.

Opening the festival will be the Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT) Rock School, on the main stage at noon. Other highlights on this stage are set to include the Royal and Derngate Community Choir and the Emily Faye Band, a local country singer.

The Northampton town centre Business Improvement District (BID) is a lead sponsor for the one day festival, which is organised by Northampton Music 365 and is set to attract tens of thousands of visitors into the town centre.

Graham Roberts, festival organiser, said: “On the Friday and Saturday before the festival there will be around 30 satellite events at venues all across the town, so it literally will be a weekend of music and entertainment. Get the date in your diaries for the musical event of the year.”

There will be a classical stage will be on the steps of All Saints Church, with the line-up set to include the Northampton Male Voice Choir and students from the Northampton School for Boys, NMPAT as well as The Northampton Gilbert and Sullivan Group.

The Y-Factor stage will be on Abington Street outside the Grosvenor Centre entrance and will host an array of local youth talent.

There will also be a jazz stage in the Guildhall Courtyard and an Umbrella Stage in the NN Contemporary Arts Courtyard, which you can access via the gallery on Guildhall Road.

For the full line-up go to www.northamptonmusicfestival.co.uk.