THIS year’s Folk and Boat Festival in Middlewich will celebrate 25 years of the annual event and despite it being bigger than ever, the line-up will have an extra focus on Middlewich talent.

The Folk and Boat Festival will as usual showcase folk bands from all around the world but has also this year collaborated with Middlewich Music.

Middlewich Music formed last year and has since been building up a roster of bands from the Middlewich area and supporting them with several events in the town.

Dave Thompson: “I`m very happy to promote Middlewich Music at the festival to give local artists a platform to showcase what they can do.

“Adam contacted me to see if they could get involved in the festival this year and I didn’t really have to think about it, it’s a great idea.

“It is an ideal opportunity to showcase local talent.

“The festival has got so big that we get swamped with requests from people all over the world to play, but I think I forget that there is some great music coming from within the town.”

The line-up for the festival is yet to be announced but the collaboration with Middlewich Music means there will be 10 home-grown artists performing at the town’s biggest event of the year.

Middlewich Music founder Adam Roberts is looking forward to seeing some of the town’s own music at the festival and said it is the ‘best platform’ there is for Middlewich bands.

Adam Roberts: “We wanted to get involved because the Folk and Boat Festival is a big thing but a lot of the bands that play there come from all over. For local bands this is the best platform for them because they get the chance to play in front of people who are coming from all around the country.

“Dave was game for it because he probably sees us as a little brother that the FAB Festival can support, but as well I think it benefits everyone.

“We’ve got some quality bands lined up with three on Friday and seven on Saturday and they’re a bit different from what we’ve had in the past. Middlewich Music doesn’t have a specific genre, as long as it is original, local and good, we will support it.”