Carlisle’s Blues/Rock Festival has been named the best in the UK at a prestigious awards ceremony.
Organiser Nick Westgarth said he was overwhelmed to win the UK Blues Federation accolade.
One of five festivals shortlisted, Nick said he wasn’t confident his event would win, as it had been nominated previously.
He said: “I really didn’t expect it to take the award, it’s always one of the bigger festivals with the greater number of attendees which takes it. I wish I’d prepared something for the acceptance speech!”
The event was ran in 2021 after COVID restrictions were lifted and the sell-out crowd enjoyed what many said was one of the very best weekends in the history of the 15-year-old festival.
He was presented with the award by rock legend Del Bromham.
Nick added: “He played the festival in 2017 with his Blues Devils so it was good to meet him again. It was a great night, the atmosphere electric and receiving the award from Del, who I’ve followed since the 70s in his band Stray, added to the thrill of it all.”
While Nick is thrilled with the win, he is now concentrating on this year’s festival, which takes place in October at the Crown & Mitre Hotel.
The line-up includes The Billy Walton Band and Sari Schorr both from the USA with several top UK award winners including Laurence Jones, Catfish, Wille & The Bandits, Grainne Duffy and The Cinelli Brothers, the hottest blues band on the UK circuit.
The new band of Marcus Bonfanti, who also fills the position left by Alvin Lee in Ten Years After, and Paddy Milner, who is Tom Jones’s current keyboard player, will also take the stage over the weekend with their Jawbone friends.
There will be an after show party where top Americans Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia, with their band, will provide the music and vibe.
The 2022 festival has been awarded a grant for Grassroots music by the Arts Council which is helping with the post-pandemic cultural recovery.
Nick said: “It’s not a huge grant but then it’s not a huge festival, nonetheless it is a very welcome boost, it ensures that the event can run this year without relying on financial support from businesses, many of whom are feeling the pinch from Brexit and the knock-on effects of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Tickets are already selling fast for the event.
