One of Brighton’s best-loved festivals gets under way at lunchtime today (Saturday 7 July) as BevFest welcomes families, music lovers and even football fans from Bevendean as well as further afield.
The popular annual free community music festival showcases some of Brighton’s finest up and coming bands and artists.
A diverse range of musical styles will be on offer including ska, reggae, rock, hip-hop, pop punk, folk rock, trance and electronica.
From the reggae, ska and hip-hop sounds of Dubious Roots, Southwestside and Rebel Lion, rock courtesy of Stone Angels, Sweet Facility, grime rapper Spraxa and the folk punk of Jimmy and the Worn Out Shoes, this really promises to be a very exciting six hours of main stage action.
Meanwhile, an acoustic tent will kick off with an open mic session (so bring your guitar!) before 30-minute sets by specially picked acoustic acts Megan Sayer, Rob Doherty and Misharmonic.
Rob Doherty rose to prominence earlier this year with his Alfie Evans tribute single reaching number 5 on the iTunes chart.
Live coded dance music will follow to complete the tent’s line up.
BevFest is well catered for this year with the Proper Pub Grub Co setting up an open-air kitchen offering amazing homemade burgers and chips. Beef, chicken, vegetarian, halloumi and vegan are all on the menu.
And if that doesn’t appeal, It’s A Wrap will be on hand with their range of mouth-watering wraps and sandwiches.
Bevendean’s very own community pub, the Bevy, will be there with their pop up bar stocking Holler Boy beers, wines, cider and more.
New brewer, Loud Shirt brewery, will also be in attendance with an additional beer truck bar to give an enormous variety of drinks on offer.
Kids are sure to have fun with the two bouncy castles, inflatable slide, fire engine, Scalextric racing, games and crafts.
Adults might prefer to explore the market place, community groups exhibition, tea tent, reflexology stall and chill out tent.
With England playing Sweden at 3pm, the World Cup quarter finals will be shown in one of BevFest’s marquees to keep football fans up to date on all the action while they enjoy the festival.
Among the stalls, the Real Junk Food Project will be giving out free taster samples, there will be a tarot reader, candy floss, a bike that when peddled makes delicious smoothies – and look out for the boxing ring.
BevFest chairman Gareth Winslade said: “We are all very excited about the upcoming day and hope that everyone who comes has a brilliant day.
“Despite being so close to Lewes Road, this is a hidden community and this is our chance to show Brighton and Hove what a gem Bevendean can be.”
BevFest has been held every summer since 2012. The festival is put together by a group of community volunteers.
This year the core team are Gareth and Emily Winslade, Chris Kiefer and Mitchie Alexander. All are Bevendean residents.
It’s been all hands on deck with the preparation for this year’s festival and the team have been lucky enough to get loads of help and support from the area’s fab community and youth workers.
Two of the area’s youngest politicians are due to come along – Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle plus the deputy mayor of Brighton and Hove Councillor Alex Phillips.
Bevfest raffle tickets will be sold to raise money towards staging next year’s Bevfest and prizes include a trip up the i360, afternoon tea for two at Stanmer House, tickets for the Duke of York’s Cinema, tickets for Komedia comedy night, a homemade locally made Indian meal for two and even a voucher for a “closing of the bones” ceremony by Bevendean Doula Eva.
Bevfest 2018 has been made possible by grants from various funders including the East Brighton Trust, Homity Trust, ChalkCliff and Brighton University.
BevFest takes place from 1.30pm until 9pm in the grounds of Bevendean Primary School in Lower Bevendean.
There will be a free Big Lemon shuttle bus running from Appledore Road in Moulscoomb and stopping at the Bevy bus stop and at the bottom of The Avenue.
The people of Bevendean are very proud of their home-grown festival and proud that so many people now travel from other parts of the city to attend this free family event.
Gareth Winslade and Mitch Alexander are two of the BevFest 2018 organisers.
