It is really not that grim up North. And the weekend of the 27th and 28th of July will surely affirm this when the County Durham market town of Stockton-On-Tees plays host to its third annual festival. Born out of the Stockton Riverside Fringe Festival, the Stockton Weekender still holds true to its predecessor’s central tenet of promoting local talent – the last two years have seen The Chapman Family, Young Rebel Set, Jimmy & The Sounds and Cattle & Cane gracing the festival’s stages – whilst continuing to attract more established headline acts. Two years back Maximo Park and Seasick Steve topped the bill on the Saturday and Sunday nights respectively, whilst last August it was the turn of The Pogues and James.
An independently run event held on an easily accessible, central site on the banks of the River Tees, the Stockton Weekender offers weekend camping, funfair, a Kaleidoscope Kids Area plus a Cabaret, Music & Comedy Tent running alongside its two main music stages. This year the growing stature of the Stockton Weekender on the UK’s festival calendar is confirmed by their having secured Primal Scream and Dexys as their two main headliners. Expect more top acts to follow and with early bird tickets (available until 30th April) pegged at a most attractive £25 for the day, £35 for the weekend and, if you are also wanting to camp, £70, you would be a fool not to want to go.
Organisers advise that tickets are shifting twice as fast as last year. They can be bought here:
http://www.stocktonweekender.co.uk/
Photos from Stockton Weekender 2012:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billielolasorcha/sets/72157630911843220/
