City needs to get into festival spirit
They have already spent thousands of pounds organising an all-day jazz and blues spectacular in Penkhull next month.
And today they told of their ambitions to turn the free event into a citywide festival in the future.
Organisers say there are no longer any excuses for the Potteries to miss out on the summer festival spirit – and point to neighbouring Nantwich drawing in 40,000 visitors for an event which started in just a handful of pubs 13 years ago.
Businessman Dave Grice, who is behind the idea, said: "We chose Penkhull for the inaugural festival because of its lofty and compact position that will make it perfect to drop down into Stoke and the other communities with different types of music in the future.
"There are a few small music events starting to happen in the city – it all needs to be brought together so Stokies don't always have to go elsewhere for a great day's music."
A total of 16 bands have been lined up for the festival on July 25 with each of Penkhull's five pubs staging three acts and a New Orleans marching band opening proceedings on the village green.
Landlords, local businesses and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have all chipped in to sponsor the day which will also feature street dancers, balloon artists, stilt walkers, saxophonists and face painters.
Bands varying from duos to eight-pieces will bring music mainly from the USA to the Greyhound, Marquis of Granby, Beehive, White Lion and the Terrace from 1pm to 11pm.
Mr Grice added: "People who go to successful festivals in other towns – even as close as Newcastle last month – get back home and wonder why the city doesn't do the same despite being so much bigger.
"The problem is no-one seems to get up and do something about it. We hope we are doing just that and have formed a committee of six people who are determined to change things.
"We chose Penkhull because it already has pubs putting on live music at weekends and they are all under five minutes walk apart.
"We started organising it in January and are determined to make something really big grow out of this in future years for the whole city."
American-style blues and jazz will dominate the musical styles as the festival was originally scheduled to coincide with Independence Day on July 4 but it had to be changed as it clashed with other events in the village.
Marquis of Granby landlady Carol Rowland said: "This will be a great day and I'm sure it will really take off and spread around the city in future.
"If anyone can make that happen, it's Dave Grice."
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Bands line up for Penkhull Jazz and Blues
DOUBLE BOOKED: Guitarist Alan Waters will be performing with Unchained and The Odd Couple at the festival.
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