Festival to honour star’s golden years

Create, Ashford’s popular free music festival, takes place this Saturday in Victoria Park – with tributes to David Bowie taking centre stage.

David Live, a highly-acclaimed covers act, will headline the Ashford College Main Stage with a special performance celebrating the legendary popstar.

The tribute will be accompanied by a large-scale Bowie puppet walking through the crowds and two big screens marking the icon’s reinvention and visual presentation.

More than 40 acts are lined up for the day, including lively folk/ bluegrass band Gentlemen of Few on the Revelation Stage and popular singer/songwriter Charley Monroe on the new Fountain Stage, sponsored by Right Track Music.

There will also be a mix up of DJs playing funk, soul, Latin and disco on a new-look DJ Stage.

The Love Ashford zone will be home to food and crafts, Rio Olympic-themed dancers and face painters, a Chapel Down Boutique Bar and street performers.

This year’s festival will close with a firework display around the Hubert Fountain – the first 1,000 revellers will receive a free tote bag.

The music kicks off tomorrow (Friday) with Made in Kent playing at a warm-up gig at Revelation St Mary’s, with performances from Empathy Test, Phoebe Warden and O Mataeus.

Chris Dixon, festival organiser, said: “It is a great feeling to be part of Create’s 21st birthday celebrations. We have so much on offer, across the whole site.

“We are pretty sure we have something for all the family.”

Chris and Su Bailey, directors of Right Track Music, said they are proud to be sponsoring the new Fountain Stage this year.

Su added: “It gives us a real chance to programme some amazing hard-working community acts and have an area where young people and families can spend the whole day having fun.”

Revelation St Mary’s manager, Debra McGee, said the team are delighted to be running their own stage this year.

She said: “It is an unbeatable opportunity for us to promote the diverse range of music and arts shows we regularly put on in our unique Town Centre Venue and bandstand.”

Gates open from 11.30am and the music lasts until until 9pm. Entry is free. Visit www.createfestival.co.uk for information.

David Live, a Bowie tribute act, will be playing at Create this year, which will pay tribute to the star who died this year; festival organiser Chris Dixon says there is something for whole family