Last updated at 19:43, Thursday, 26 July 2012

Maryport is gearing up for the arrival of thousands of music fans for the town’s new-look blues festival, which starts today.

ALL SET FOR THE BLUES: Billy Hucknall, from Workington, winner of the Times & Star’s Maryport Blues Festival competition, receives his free wristband for the weekend from Sue Sandham, one of the organisers

All hotels and guest houses are reported to be full, and visitors are being offered rooms in townsfolk’s homes, said festival spokeswoman Debra Park.

She said: “This is the kind of welcome Maryport gives. Visitors to the blues festival often make lifelong friends.”

Ticket sales have been buoyant and Mrs Park said she expected that the new main stage, at the Wave Centre, would be sold out for all three days of the event.

Twenty thousand wristbands for the blues trail around town venues have been ordered.

She added: “We are fully expecting the wristbands to sell particularly well this year because it is one of our best trails.

“We are on our way to covering all our costs and having something in the bank for next year. It is good news.”

But signs advertising the festival between Wigton and Workington have been removed by Connect Roads workers.

A company spokesman said that there had been a complaint about signs stuck on lamp posts and telephone lines that were “technically illegal”.

Mrs Park said the signs had been put up for several years and it was disappointing that one complaint had led to their removal.

This year’s festival trail is bigger, with more than 40 bands playing in 17 venues, including outdoor stages at Maryport Rugby Club on Mealpot Road and outside the Wave Centre.

Local bands performing tonight include Solway Deltas, House of Three Hands, The Mentulls and the Krissy Matthews Band.

Saturday afternoon will see performances from Albany Down, Gerry Jablonski and the Electric Band and the Juke Joints.

Saturday evening provides a treat for blues purists with Todd Sharpville’s Blues Review featuring Nick Moss and Debbie Davies.

Sunday afternoon’s line-up includes Black River Bluesman & Bad Mood Hudson, Ben Poole and Marcus Malone.

The festival will end on a nostalgic high with Chris Farlowe and Cliff Bennett’s Rhythm and Blues Band, who also double up as New Amen Corner.

l More on the blues festival – Weekend West, Page 25

First published at 19:25, Thursday, 26 July 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk