Swanbourne Music Festival 2017
Having been absent for a year, The Swanbourne Music Festival has received a new lease of life, thanks to the support of local pub, The Betsey Wynne, and its landlord, Oakman Inns, and will take place during the Bank Holiday on Sunday 27th August 2017.
Headline act is Toploader, the popular alternative rock band with over two million album sales to their name and a string of top 20 hits both at home and abroad. They are playing Swanbourne as part of their summer tour to promote their new album, Seeing Stars, launching today, 12th May. Their debut album, Onka’s Big Moka, sold over one million copies and remained in the Top 5 of the UK Albums Chart for over six months while their second album, Magic Hotel, reached number 3 in the UK Albums Chart. Among their many hits and new songs, Toploader will be playing their cover of King Harvest’s US hit “Dancing in the Moonlight”, written by Sherman Kelly, which became a global hit for the band.
The full line-up, featuring a selection of talented local bands, will be announced in the next week, but it’s been confirmed that Toploader will be supported by local favourite, Palmerston a band that is hard to describe. With plenty of vocal harmonies, country fiddle, a slice of banjo, mandolin, harmonica, guitars and fun, they recently toured with Albert Lee who commented: “The gentlemen of Palmerston guarantee you an exciting evening of music which involves styles past and good times galore. But the music is fresh, invigorating, all theirs and a must-see-and-hear.”
The picturesque venue behind The Betsey Wynne on the Swanbourne Estate, just south of Milton Keynes, will be packed with a tantalising assortment of food and drink stalls – many of them selling produce from the Estate. There will also be several bars including one selling two new craft beers from The Tring Brewery, an arts and crafts market and plenty of inflatable fun for the children.
Palmerston’s Alan Rondeau said: “Having been a part of the Swanbourne Music Festival from day one, it has been wonderful to see how the festival has grown in popularity over the last few years. I am sure that now in the experienced hands of Oakman Inns and their team at The Betsey Wynne, who are generously supporting this event, it will be another fabulous festival. Good times, good music and raising monies for three deserved local charities. Brilliant!”
The Betsey Wynne’s Swanbourne Music Festival will be championing three charities that are dear to the Estate’s heart. These are:
- Medical Detection Dogs – Training dogs to help people with life-threatening health conditions
- The Puzzle Centre – providing education, support and research for early years autism
- Help Olivia Walk – helping Olivia, daughter of Palmerston’s founder, with mobility support in order to gain her independence.
Jack Ashmore, General Manager of The Betsey Wynne, and one of the event’s organising team, said: “We wanted to do something to celebrate our refurbishment which will be completed in the Summer. With the backing of our company, Oakman Inns, we felt it was a perfect opportunity to revive the Swanbourne Music Festival and give the whole community a chance to enjoy an old-fashioned family day out together while supporting three great causes.”
Peter Borg-Neal, CEO of Oakman Inns, said: “As a regular festival goer, I’m thrilled to lay on a family friendly event in a beautiful location – with hopefully some gorgeous sunshine to match.”