Nottingham Riverside Festival returns!
Finally making its’ comeback after a two-year hiatus, East Midlands largest free summer festival Nottingham Riverside Festival is returning to Victoria Embankment for the first weekend in August. This year the festival is expected to welcome over a quarter of a million visitors to Nottingham and will certainly not be one to miss.
As with any festival, music plays an integral part of the weekend and this year there are three larger than life live music stages for all attendees to choose from.
The Monument Stage champions a varied selection of eclectic music spanning from glam rock to global beats. Friday will be headlined by Dr and the Medics with support from East Midlands’ own Seas of Mirth, Saturday turns it head towards the funk, soul and hip-hop era with an opening set from Fat Digester then giving way to the South African influence of Kudaushe Matimba and Harare, showcasing a spectacular vision of music and dance. Headlining the stage on Saturday are the riveting nine-piece act Maroon Town who will close the evening with their high-energy musical fusion of ska, rap and dub. On the final day, Franco-Algerian band Tiwiza’s percussion rhythms will then be followed by the UK’s longest established Brazilian/Latin band, Viramundo. The Final act on the Monument stage, closing the weekend are King Pleasure and the biscuit boys bringing you a mix of jive and swing music to bring the Nottingham Riverside Festival 2022 to an energetic close on the Sunday afternoon.
The Big Top Stage also boasts a vast range of musical styles spanning over the three day festival. Friday’s introduction will see a line-up of DJ’s, that have yet to be confirmed, playing anything and everything to get the crowd moving. Saturday, however, bears witness to The Riverside Festival folk day, largely considered to be one of the best free folk music line-ups in the country. This year artists such as Kate Spencer, who provides tracks from her latest release fusing jazz and folk with her unique lyrical style and Bird In The Belly who are set to perform a unique blend of spoken words mixed in with hypnotically original musical compositions. Closing this top tier day of Folk music is Flats & Sharps, a Cornish four-piece, known for their foot-stomping, spirited bluegrass to really get you dancing into the night. Mellowing down for the Sunday Carlton Brass, Nottingham’s premier brass band, and Nottingham Big Band performing throughout the afternoon. If you’re planning to visit this stage throughout the day expect to hear classics from the greats, such as Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra and many more for what promises to be a chilled out vibe for a Sunday.
The Bandstand Stage keeps things slightly more local this year, with most of the great acts and bands being from surrounding areas. Friday night welcomes local five piece blues & blues / rock band, Blood Red Moon as they kick off the festival in true Nottingham style. We go more electro-pop on Saturday night as Leeds locals EEVAH bring their ever-lively energy to the stage with a set list made to impress. The Sunday closer is none other than the Nottingham local Alex Mighten, formally known as Karizma, who will be bringing his fantastic and energetic R&B style to the stage for a fantastic final end to the Nottingham Riverside Festival.
The festival welcomes people of all ages and makes sure that there is something for everyone to enjoy; On Saturday and Sunday, in the little ‘Big Top’ area, younger festival goers will be able to brush up their circus skills. The workshops will feature stilt walking, mini tightrope, plate spinning, juggling, novelty bikes and space hoppers. Wolly the clown will also perform two family shows with his hilarious, physical comedy and breath-taking stunts.
For the duration of the festival there will be a whole mile of fairground rides, games and attractions along the banks of the Trent. There are also a large selection of street food and drinks vendors from all corners of the world; expect Hawaiian, Sri Lankan, Jamaican influences as well as Nottingham’s own favourite, The Filthy Vegan. A riverside market shall be taking place and several water based activities ranging from the annual duck race to dragon boat racing. On Friday and Saturday night there will be a ten minute firework display that spectators flock all along the Trent to watch, both displays are set to take place at 10:30pm.
The Nottingham Riverside Festival will take place this year: Friday 5th August – Sunday 7th. The event is free so it is advisable to arrive early for any acts you wish to see to avoid disappointment.
Planning on visiting for the weekend and need somewhere to hang up those dancing shoes when you’re finished? Mercure Nottingham City Centre has a lovely selection of rooms for you to choose from and we are just a few minutes’ walk from the main high street for your convenience.
We look forward to welcoming you soon.
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