First names of beach festival line-up announced

1 day ago

Neve Gordon-Farleigh

The First Light Festival will celebrate the summer solstice on South Beach on 20 and 21 June

Richard Knights/BBC Colourful flags of pink, yellow, orange and blue have been placed in a line across the seafront of the beach and are flying in the wind. There are people on the beach sitting down with chairs and tents and people walking. — The First Light Festival will celebrate the summer solstice on South Beach on 20 and 21 June

DJ and broadcaster Jamz Supernova and folk singer Seth Lakeman are among the first names to be announced in the line-up for a beach festival.

The First Light Festival will return to South Beach on the Lowestoft seafront for a midsummer celebration on 20 and 21 June.

Boasting a weekend of live music, storytelling, art and wellbeing, sound artist and DJ Jason Singh and comedian Simon Day have also been announced as some of the first guests.

The UK's only free beach festival, which is in its sixth year, attracts crowds of thousands.

The festival aims to "shine a spotlight" on the area and its wealth of talent and creativity.

Run in partnership with Arts Council England, it is held on the weekend closest to the summer solstice.

The full programme for the festival is set to be announced in March

South Beach in Lowestoft. The picture has been taken overlooking the beach over the top of the blue beach huts which are in the foreground of the picture. On the beach there are colourful flags stretching high in the sky and there are crowds of people scattered across the beach. The picture has been taken on a sunny day and the sky is blue. A gull is mid-flight flying across the picture. — The full programme for the festival is set to be announced in March

As part of the solstice celebrations, Singh will lead an immersive sound experience as dawn breaks.

Organisers are also working with Britten Pears Arts on a co-commission by artist Tendertwin to commemorate the 50th anniversary year of Benjamin Britten's death.

The piece will draw inspiration from lunar and tidal energy and rhythms of nature.

Festivities will begin from midday on Saturday, 20 June, with ticketed sundown events until 02:00 BST the next day, and the festival concluding at 16:00.

With limited parking available, festival organisers are encouraging people to use public transport, walk or cycle to the beach.

The event is ticketless, and the full programme will be announced in March.

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