News: Tyneside's Bernicia Festival Gets New Home

Bernicia Festival Gets New Home

A live music festival has a new home. Bernicia Festival 2014 will now take place in Gypsies Green in South Shields next weekend due to increased demand.

The South Shields leg of the event was due to take place at The Customs House on Saturday, August 30. Organisers were keen to give the event a festival feel and the capacity has double from the 500-strong crowd at the Mill Dam venue last year.  The line-up includes headliners Hyde & Beast alongside The Lake Poets, Vinyl Jackets, Ajimal, Grandfather Birds, Little Bird, Tissue Culture, Playlounge, Ryan Bird, Cohesion, Rising Opener, Mouses.

Hyde and Beast Photo: Ian West

Festival co-ordinator Emma Howe said: “We’re thrilled to announce the move to Gypsies Green Stadium for next Saturday’s event. It's such an iconic location in South Shields and allows us to host a bigger capacity on our first day, after an overwhelming demand for tickets. Last year we had 500 people and the event was indoors and now we’re outside in this iconic stadium giving the event a real festival feel. We couldn't be more grateful to South Tyneside Council and The Customs House for making this happen. It just shows how enthusiastic the people involved in events in South Tyneside are about local music and that we can rely on their support in the future as we look to make Bernicia Festival a regular part of Tyneside’s summer events calendar.”

Customs House Executive Director Ray Spencer, MBE, said: “The Bernicia Festival was such a hit last year we were keen to bring it back and it’s fantastic that this year’s event will be outdoors giving it a real festival feel. Gypsies Green will be a great venue for Bernicia and with the support of our friends at South Tyneside Council, we’re looking forward to another fantastic festival.”

Last year acts like The Little Comets and Lulu James both performed and have since enjoyed huge success with The Little Comets touring the US and Lulu receiving government funding to help her crack the international market.

Bernicia will also take place as scheduled at Spanish City Plaza in Whitley Bay on Sunday, August 31.

On The Web:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/BerniciaFest

Website: www.berniciafestival.co.uk