Bures Music Festival
July 6th to 10th
Bures Music Festival (BMF) is set to return with a bang in 2022. The festival – set in the heart of the beautiful Stour Valley – will celebrate its joyful comeback from the restrictions of the past two years with a special 25th Anniversary event, with many special guests and surprises in store.
Preparations are fully underway, and organisers of the five-day, not-for-profit festival have begun announcing this year’s exciting line-up of superb headliners and amazing local acts. One of the biggest ever bands to descend on BMF is rhythm and blues act The Animals & Friends. This is an unmissable opportunity to see them perform on the BMF stage as part of their farewell tour. Sixties legends The Animals were the second British band to top the American charts after The Beatles with their multi-million selling anthem, ‘House of the Rising Sun’. The Animals & Friends features original founding member John Steel.
BMF is known for its energetic mix of original bands combined with top-rated tribute acts, and confirmed to headline Saturday night is globally renowned, arena-playing The Killers tribute band The Fillers. And on Sunday, BMF audiences will be treated to “The best Madness tribute band in the World” The Los Palmas 6, featuring the talents of former Madness sax player Steve Turner.
Organisers have also confirmed the return of extraordinary Electric Light Orchestra tribute ELO Encounter, with dozens more acts set to be announced over the coming weeks. Lovers of choral music and jazz can look forward to an exciting line-up in St Marys Church, Bures. And solo artists and bands, performance poets and dancers aged 9 to 19 can sign up for the popular B-Fest competition, which gives young musicians an opportunity to perform to the festival crowd.
Meanwhile, organisers are working on the packed schedule of additional acoustic performances as well as rides, stalls and entertainment for families and festival goers. BMF’s signature Big Top is back, alongside the mini-Big Top bar, Prosecco and Pimm’s bar, lots of stalls, rides and activities for children.
Organiser Tom Moore says, “We’re working on a really exciting 25th Anniversary event, with festival favourites who’ll get the crowds dancing, some true blues legends, amazing tribute bands and a huge range of brilliant local acts. It’s such a lovely way to raise money for local causes, and we’re hoping to see some sold-out events again this year.”
Each year, the festival – now part of Bures Music Festival Charitable Trust – raises thousands of pounds for valuable charities in the local community including St Nicholas Hospice Care, St Helena Hospice, the children’s ward at Colchester General Hospital and Ferriers Barn. Organized and run entirely by volunteers and the local community, BMF has raised close to £250,000 for wonderful causes since the first event in 1997.
For tickets and information see www.buresmusicfestival.com or like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/buresmusicfestival for a chance to win tickets.
