Festival featuring musicians from across the county to come to St Ives

Musicians from across the county will be performing on the banks of the River Ouse in St Ives this summer in a collection of free outdoor concerts.

Starting on Sunday (July 6) until August 24, the annual Music on the Waits festival will be showcasing a mixture of bands and artists every Sunday from 2.30pm until 4pm.

The concerts will feature old favourites from previous years, including traditional English band Ethel’s Cats (July 27), as well as new faces such as acoustic pop and blues musicians Chris Newman and Stella Hensley (August 24).

“This is probably one of the best selections we have had,” said Valerie Bush, one of the event organisers.

“We always try to have a lot of variety performing.”

The Somersham Town Band will kick-off the popular eight-week event on Sunday, organised by Festival Events in St Ives, or FESt for short.

Jazz enthusiast should head along to the riverside on July 13 for an afternoon with the Meridian Jazz band, or alternatively on August 3 for the Ouse Valley Jazz Band.

Others performing include Close Harmony Chorus (July 20), Huntingdon Big Band (August 10), and Manea Silver Band (August 17).

Ice cream will be available, as well as tea and coffee from St Ives Methodist Church opposite. Miss Bush said previous events had seen all seats taken and people boating along the river had often stopped to listen.

INFORMATION: For more about the concerts, visit www.festivaleventsstives.vpweb.co.uk.