Live festival raises hopes for future

The Fleetwood Folk and Blues Weekend proved a big success as the town enjoyed a feast of live music.

And main organiser, Rachael Bailey, says she is hoping the festival can become an annual event.

The event brought a wide range of folk and blues acts into Fleetwood venues such as The Queens pub on Poulton Road, The Mount pub on the seafront and North Euston Hotel last weekend.

Fleetwood Museum staged its own activities but liaised with the organisers of the main event.

Artists taking part in the festival included Hughie Jones (ex-Spinners), Winter Wilson, Fleetwood bands The X-ray Cinema and Cartoon Food, Rantum Scantum, Tom Doughty, Mather Robinson Band, Reg Meruross, Scolds Bridal, Ferocious Dog and The Devil’s Jukebox.

Rachael said: “I was delighted with the way it went, it could not have gone better.

“I would love it to be an annual event but I will have to discuss things with Wyre and Fleetwood Town councils to see if they can help in any way regarding funding, either directly or pointing is in the right direction,

“The feedback has been brilliant and the organisers of several well established festivals who came along and were pleased with what they saw.

“I just want to thank everyone who helped make it a success.”

The event went ahead after a larger event, the Fleetwood Folk and Roots Festival, had to be cancelled.

Rachael added: “I have put about £2,000 of my own money into the festival to make it work but I was determined that Fleetwood should have a festival.

“The main thing is that this event has been good for the town.”

The festival also acted as a good advert for local bands, who joined with bigger name national acts to provide variety across the weekend.