Over 500 events, and raising over £24,000 for various charities.

Thank You on behalf of our wonderful team of volunteers!  So, we wanted to update you on some new developments:

Our concert with the wonderful Zimbabwean band ‘Gonora Sounds’ on Friday 19 July has a special discounted ticket price for ‘Under 21s’ of £8.75pp  (plus 10% booking fee from https://www.wegottickets.com/WemsFest ).

We hope this might encourage younger audiences to experience new music which they wouldn’t normally come across, and negate the need for a babysitter ? Isaac Gonora (drummer) is 21, so he'll be one of the youngest artists we've had on stage lately.

There’s a real buzz about this band who are making their first UK visit and we expect the dancefloor to be busy !

Early next year we’re planning on a series of Sunday Matinee Concerts in ‘Bar Havana’ – a lovely subterranean, brick-vaulted, intimate venue in Little London, Chichester.

We’re acutely aware that not everyone feels confident in going out, and coming back, in the dark – so we hope that by using this this centrally-located venue (with public car-parking immediately adjacent, and not too far from bus routes and the railway station, we can encourage you to come out and enjoy some fabulous music.  At the moment we’re planning a wide range of genres over a 3-month period and we’ll keep you posted of developments.

Breaking News as of Thursday 27 June!

We’re absolutely over the moon that the Surtierra Project has been awarded substantial funds from Arts Council England.

Led by long time friends Musiko Musika, and partnering with organisations from Southampton, Andover, and Dorset, this will involve the recruitment of a local community choir, and performances alongside the Anglo-Chilean band Quimantu and the uplifting ‘Misa de los Mineros’  (Mass for the (Chilean)) miners.

It’s going to be a fascinating project culminating next June in Refugee Week in London.

More on this will be on our website shortly where you can also register any interest in being involved.

Upcoming Shows:

Barry ‘The Fish’ Melton and his band. Wed 31 July, Emsworth Sports & Social Club. A rare chance to enjoy 2 members  (inc David Bennett) of the original Country Joe & The Fish band accompanied by 3 fabulous musicians.

Le Vent du Nord – a second visit to St. James Church in Emsworth by this award-winning Quebecoise band whose joyful stage presence is wickedly infectious !  Thu 22 Aug.

8th Emsworth Beer, Cider & Wine Festival – with beer from £3 a pint, carefully sourced ales from all over the UK, fabulous music, Indian streetfood food by Darbar, silent films, and a built-in friendly atmosphere !  Fri 13 - Sun15 Sep in Emsworth Community Centre.

After that, we've a plethora of great shows in September through to December.

 Note that forthcoming shows with Boo Hewerdine & Heidi Talbot (Wed 13 Nov), and Oysterband (Fri 6 Dec) are sold-out but it’s always worth checking online at wegottickets.com just in case any more are released.

Our 3rd Emsworth Blues Festival is on Friday 17 & Saturday 18 January with evening ticketed gigs by The Bex Marshall Band (17th), and The Jo Harman Band (18th) but the Saturday also features an afternoon of *free* performances in 5 venues, 3 of them new.  The artists for these shows are still being arranged.

www.wemsfest.com