Fringe festival’s 10th anniversary of rocking town
Dozens of venues sign up for five-day event
A music festival which brings diverse acts to venues across Maidstone each year is preparing for its 10th anniversary. The town’s Fringe Festival will run from Wednesday, April 29 to Sunday, May 3.
It is usually held over the early May bank holiday, but this year that has been moved to Friday, May 8 to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
More than 50 acts playing indie, ska and reggae, blues and roots and folk, among other genres, are already confirmed for the five-day extravaganza. Dozens of venues have signed up and this year the event could see an open air stage in Jubilee Square.
The majority of gigs are free to attend, but there are some ticketed shows by more established artists.
Organiser Clive Austen said: “Maidstone Fringe only started as a response to other festivals I’d been involved in.
“People I worked with would say ‘it would be nice to have something in Maidstone’. It has been a bit of a surprise to see it develop and grow.
“When we started out there were only seven or eight venues, now we’re up to 15. I get people ringing me up asking when the fringe will take place months in advance, just so they can book the time off work.”
Mr Austen hopes Jubilee
Square could hold an open air stage for the weekend of the fringe, talks to complete the scheme will continue this week between OneMaidstone and Maidstone Borough Council. Confirmed venues include pubs from the Style and Winch, Market House, the Royal Albion, the Flower Pot, Drakes, the White Horse and the Duke of Marlborough, to restaurants including the Herbalist and Junipers, Pizza Express and Frederics.
Artists, many of whom are returning to the festival and hail from Kent, include The Petty Thieves, Salvation Jayne, The Gallerys, Funke & the 2 Tone Baby, The Ovines ,the Lowly Strung, the Devil’s Prefects, Holly Henderson, and Some Kind of Metallica.
More acts will be announced in the coming months.
To find out more go to maidstonefringe.com
‘People ring me up months in advance, just so they can book the time off work’