Entertainment at the root of town’s new street festival

BRIDGEND town centre is set to come alive with a fusion of African beats, reggae, world cuisine and more at the Street Roots Festival over the next bank holiday weekend.

The free, family-friendly festival is the first big event to be staged by CF31, which represents the new business improvement district (BID), and will also feature markets, circus workshops, parades and even a bar on a bus.

Under the BID scheme, all eligible town centre businesses pay a levy to fund events and schemes to improve the town centre.

BID manager Justin Jenkins said: “BIDS have the ability to increase footfall, reduce business costs and improve services. As ours is running for three years it will also give businesses the opportunity to plan ahead.

“BIDs put the control into the hands of the businesses themselves, they do not substitute services provided through business rates, they must provide additional services.

“As part of our campaign to see a more vibrant town centre and to encourage families into Bridgend we are hosting the Street Roots Festival.

“It’s a family-friendly event with a focus on music and food from around the world, places like Jamaica, Africa, Europe and the Americas.”

Dunraven Place will be the focus of the festival but there will also be stalls and activities on Wyndham Street.

CF31 is working in conjunction with the organisers of the Kaya Festival – which is set to take place in Pencoed in August – to bring acts including drum group Weapons of Mass Percussion and circus Organised Kaos into the town.

Mark Holmes, co-director of Kaya Festival with Gavin Thomas, said they are working in partnership with CF31, Bridgend Town Council and Bridgend County Borough Council to stage the event, which runs from 11am to 8pm on both days.

“We are really keen on making the town centre better and bringing people into the town as we are from Bridgend ourselves,” he said.

Mark said Organised Kaos will be performing tricks on the trapeze from scaffolding erected in Dunraven Place.

Groundwork Wales will also be providing activities, including den building and there will be small fairground rides.

They have also got together with Bridgend craft brewery Bang On, which will be offering its beers on a special bar bus.

On the open-air stage on Saturday the bands performing are Yabba Funk, The Blims, Evil Turkeys, Moonbirds and Lost Tuesday Society. On Sunday on the stage there will be Legend Bob Marley, Regime, Junior Bill, Dope Biscuits and Sarasota.

Street Roots Festival is free. It takes place in Bridgend town centre on Saturday and Sunday, May 27 and 28.