Hot bluesy welcome awaits music lovers in Dereham as fifth festival set to open
Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders will be headlining the 2017 Dereham Blues Festival. Picture: Judy Totton - Credit: Judy Totton
There is just one week to go until one of the biggest blues music festivals in the country kicks off in Dereham.
Scenes from the 2014 Dereham Blues Festival - Dove and Boweevil play at the Bull. Picture: Matthew Usher. - Credit: Matthew Usher
The fifth annual Dereham Blues Festival starts on Thursday, July 6 in grand style with a concert at the town's Memorial Hall headlined by international star Andy Fairweather Low and his band The Low Riders.
Andy is much in demand and has played alongside some of the rock and blues music greats over the past six decades as well as having hits in his own right as lead singer with Amen Corner and as a solo performer.
Supporting him will be local favourites The Dove and Boweevil band.
Then over the following three days over 50 acts will be playing at 15 venues around the town making this year's festival bigger and better than ever.
The Memorial Hall in Dereham. Picture: Matthew Usher. - Credit: Matthew Usher
Tim Cara, chairman of The Friends Of Dereham Memorial Hall, said: 'It is tremendous to get Andy Fairweather Low to come to play in Dereham.
'Equally fantastic is the response from the public coming from all over the east of England to support this event with the gig virtually selling out long before the concert.'
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Apart from the opening concert, the gigs are free to enter as they are sponsored by the host venues.
They will welcome some of the very best blues and roots acts drawn from the region and across the UK who will be playing their very heart and souls out in Dereham town centre venues.
Festival Chairman John Vasco said: 'I am so pleased to see the festival growing year on year.
'The interest in coming to Dereham both by acts wanting to play and blues lovers wanting to see them is truly impressive and gratifying, and is testimony to all the hard work put in by volunteers and other organisations, including the tremendous support afforded by the sponsors, to put on the event.
'With more free acts than ever, a hot bluesy Norfolk welcome awaits you.'
There are still a few tickets left for the opening concert which are available to buy online here .
For the full line up of who is playing where and when, go to the website here .
There will be a festival information stand in the market square this Saturday morning and again on Saturday, July 8.
