PERFORMERS are lining up for a huge Southend festival which organisers believe will rival the Edinburgh Fringe.

Organisers Southend Business Improvement District (Bid), announced the return of the Southend Festival with something for everyone.

Spread over several weeks and starting on June 14, the Southend Festival is set to feature a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, performances, gigs and workshops across the town for the community and thousands of visitors.

In 2018, more than 100 performers, venues and artists collaborated to bring together the debut festival.

Organisers admitted the ambition of a Southend festival to rival Edinburgh has been mocked, but the organisers are confident they can keep growing and eventually reach the goal.

“We first staged the Southend Festival as a showcase for all the fantastic creativity that exists here in Southend,” says Southend Bid chairman, Dennis Baldry.

“Some people gave us a bit of a ribbing for our lofty ambition to create an Essex-based rival to the Edinburgh Fringe but the jam-packed programme of comedy, art, performance and family-focused activities attracted thousands of people into the town centre and seafront. 

“Every day there was a tangible buzz of excitement and such was the reaction that we had decided to reprise the Festival before last year’s maiden event had even finished.”

New artworks created by nearly 40 artists will be placed in 25 different locations.  ranging from Greggs the Bakers, Waterstones bookshop, the Royals and the Victoria shopping centres, to Southend’s world-famous pier – giving art lovers a unique opportunity to track down these exciting paintings, sculptures, mixed media pieces and photographs in suitably quirky venues.

Paint Jam also makes a welcome return, with some of Britain and Europe’s leading street and graffiti artists working with residents to bring vibrant, eye-catching designs to a number of sites throughout the town centre.

Music has been given greater emphasis in this year’s Festival and one of the most popular Indie bands of the 90’s will be rocking Chinnerys on June 14. 

The Bluetones had a string of top ten hits and are sure to play these and other fan-favourites during their stopover in Southend. 

Southend councillor Derek Jarvis praised the Bid for putting the event together, and admitted he hoped people would descend on Southend from across Essex and further afield. 

He said: “When I was last a portfolio holder five or six years ago, and the idea was first being discussed, I was always very supportive and it is great to see the event be so successful. 

“It is a great way to celebrate the art and culture that we have in Southend and on our door steps.

“The Bid team are fantastic and deserve a lot of credit, considering they put this on themselves, it really is praiseworthy. 

“I would be very keen to see the event prove a huge success once again, for the benefit of the whole town.”

For more information, click on www.visitsouthend.co.uk