Music festival Solfest makes a triumphant return next month and organisers say it is a vital platform for local performers. 

Dave Camlin, who programmes the festival's Dry Stone stage, said: “The music industry has changed beyond all recognition and it’s made live performance more important than it ever has been for musicians.

"Being based in Cumbria puts musicians at a disadvantage because there are simply fewer opportunities to get your music heard by people from outside the area, so we’ve always taken the view that Solfest should be a place where we actively promote local talent.”

Festival-goers can see plenty of local acts at the three-day music festival at Tarns, near Aspatria, from August 28 to August 30. 

There are plenty of Cumbrian singer/songwriters to catch, including Annemarie Quinn, Chapin-Wickwar, The Coast Road, Elaine Davidson and Scrogan’s Run, and a host of Cumbrian bands including Pikey Beatz, Heartbreak Remedy, We Are Quasars, Popgun, The Honey Badgers and Ivory Veins.

As well as established Cumbrian folk bands like the Wierdstring Band and Mosstroopers – a West Cumbrian community folk band who have been performing fresh original material each year at Solfest since it started – there are some excellent folk bands at Solfest from further afield featuring young Cumbrian musicians, including the astonishing Sam Kelly Trio as well as Eabhal, Jack Mason and Meghan Avery and Red Sparrow Fall, all featuring young musicians who started their careers as part of Cockermouth youth folk ensemble Yan Tan. 

 “It’s great to be welcoming Cumbrian musicians back to Cumbria with the new bands they’re forming elsewhere in the country,” adds Dave, who also hosts this year’s first ‘Singing Picnic’ at Solfest, an opportunity for everyone to share food and songs in good company.

“We’ve also made a special ‘acoustic corner’ at the festival, for impromptu acoustic sessions, so Solfest is somewhere you can come and be part of the music, however experienced or confident you are.”

Tickets are available online at  www.solfest.org.uk