by Adam Aiken
Dereham Blues Festival gets under way tomorrow (Wednesday, July 6) with a sold-out show kicking off several days of music around the town.
When Rivers Meet, who have been touring relentlessly over the past few months as they continue to win plaudits (and awards), top the bill at the opening show at the Memorial Hall, with support from blues and soul star Kyla Brox and local community choir Rockavox.
It’ll be followed by a further four days of shows in Dereham, running until Sunday, with festival organisers promising that this year’s festival “is bigger and better” than previous years.
This year the festival – which began life in 2013 but hasn’t been held since 2019 because of the pandemic – will feature some 70 acts across 17 venues in the town, ranging from pubs and bars to restaurants and sports and social clubs.
This year also sees a pop-up open-air busking session in the Ellenor Fenn Garden on Saturday afternoon, sponsored by the Norfolk Blues Society, giving both seasoned and up-and-coming buskers the chance to garner an audience.
More than 2,000 people attended the festival in 2019, and another bumper turnout is expected this year.
Other than the opening night’s sold-out event, all the music is free, with organisers asking that punters simply buy a drink or two at the venues they visit.
For full details of what’s on during the five-day festival, click here.
For more information on the Norfolk Blues Society, click here.
