A charity music festival is set to rock Lowestoft seafront for the final time this weekend.

Eastern Daily Press: Karen Sturgess. Photo: Courtesy of the Down familyKaren Sturgess. Photo: Courtesy of the Down family (Image: Archant � 2008)

Marking a tenth celebration in style, K Fest The Finale will showcase 20 of the region's finest bands on Sunday, May 28 at The Aquarium on Claremont Pier in Lowestoft.

With 12 hours of continuous music, the bands will perform in memory of Karen Sturgess – known as K – who lost her fight against breast cancer in June 2008.

Her sister Clare Chenery-Down said: 'My sister set up the first K Fest in May 2008 and performed with her bass guitar, just weeks before she passed away. One of her wishes was for the festival to continue every year and any money raised to be donated to the organisations that helped her through her difficult illness.'

With the festival organised by K's father Roy Down, sister Clare Chenery-Down, and friend Linzi Moore, they have been ably assisted by K's niece Emily Down and nephew-in-law Ashley Powell. It has raised thousands of pounds for the Sandra Chapman Centre and Louise Hamilton Centre, both based at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.

Eastern Daily Press: K Fest. Photo: The AquariumK Fest. Photo: The Aquarium (Image: The Aquarium)

Mrs Chenery-Down said: 'Since the first K Fest sadly, as a family, we have also lost my mother to Leukaemia and my husband to Motor Neurone Disease. 'After much deliberation we decided this will be the final festival this year. We wanted to finish on a high and this being the 10th celebration along with our recent tragedies seemed to be perfectly fitting. Expect many tears on the day.'

She added: 'Personally, I am always so overwhelmed when presenting cheques to the charities as they are always so gratefully received. It's a very proud and emotional feeling knowing that we have made a difference to people's lives by providing new equipment to use during their cruel illnesses.

'Sadly, all things have to come to an end. I have enjoyed organising the event in memory of my beautiful sister and I will cherish the memories the last 10 years have provided.

'It will be a great loss for Lowestoft seafront too, but K will be watching over us on the day and we will always feel honoured to have been part of the K Fest success that she created before being taken away so cruelly.'

PERFORMERS AT K FEST THE FINALE

With 20 bands play 12 hours of continuous music across two rooms – The Aquarium and Zoo – entry is free for the whole day.

Everyone involved donates their time for free, including all the bands, venue and K Fest staff, as every penny donated goes to the two charities.

Performing at The Aquarium will be: Not Clever, The Bloodhshake Chorus, Alive, Zipfels Barber, Agenda, 2Loud4Lentil, The Austin Beats, Janifour, Untold, Yuba Creek.

Performing at Zoo will be: Diverse Roots, CJ Brown, Crumbs For Comfort, Junk Shop Poets, Calvin Chadwick, Jazmine Banks, Sibling Rivalry, Heidi McRoberts, Kolin Durier and The Badly Worn Boys.

Clare Chenery-Down, K's sister, said: 'We are always so very appreciative to the bands as they all give up their time for free. A big thank you to them all for assisting us over the years as without their support, there would have been no K Fest.'

With it being the K Fest Finale, there will be memorabilia available to buy on the day.

Clare Chenery-Down, K's sister, said: 'We hold a large raffle each year and all prizes are kindly donated by local organisations, which are gratefully received. We would like to thank them all for their contributions over the years. All prizes are entered into our raffle and money collected for raffle tickets goes towards the final figure presented to the charities. Special thanks go to Listers Guitars, Smith Bros and Northbridge Computers who have been very generous to our cause.

'Massive thanks also go out to David Scott for allowing us to use his venue for free. Without him we would not have been able to have such a successful event and he will always hold a special place in our hearts.'

The family band 'Alive' will be performing their final gig on the day at 9pm. The band consists of Roy Down, K's father, on rhythm guitar, Clare Chenery-Down, lead and backing vocals, Mathew Down, K's brother on lead guitar, Andy Crosson, drummer and Will Murray, bass guitar, who are both family friends.