Newark Festival and Newark Hustle set to return once again this August

A town’s popular free festival is set to return this summer with a four-day celebration, bringing entertainment, music and community spirit.

The Newark Festival, delivered by Newark Town Council, will return to the town centre from August 22 until August 25.

This year, due to the Castle grounds being unavailable, the festival will take place in Newark Market Place and organisers are promising a full and expanded programme, featuring live performances, family activities, food, and a few new surprises.

On Saturday (August 23), the live music stage will run from 12noon to 4pm, showcasing a variety of artists from the area.

A “build-a-band” initiative will see a new band formed in the morning and given the chance to perform on stage that afternoon.

From 4pm, the town will once again host the “Newark Hustle”, where around 50 bands and solo performers from Nottingham and across Nottinghamshire will play at nine different town centre venues, including pubs and café-restaurants.

Sunday (August 24), will follow a similar daytime format, with more musicians from the area performing on stage in the Market Place between 12noon and 5pm.

Street food will be available on both Saturday and Sunday.

A new addition to this year’s festival is a Friday (August 21) night stand-up comedy show, currently being planned for the Prince Rupert, adding a new dimension to the festival’s entertainment offering.

On Monday (August 25), families can look forward to a family fun day with stage acts and walkabout entertainers, creating a lively atmosphere for all ages.

There are also plans for a community carnival procession during the day.

The festival will come to an end on Monday evening with the return of the popular Brass Crescendo — a brass band concert and finale.

All music venues will once again be free to enter, with charity collections raising funds for small Newark charities.

Organisers have also issued a call for local talent, with a few remaining slots available on the Monday stage.

Musicians, dancers and performers interested in taking part are encouraged to contact the organiser on 07891 057812.