Solway Trust LTD are delighted to announce, that after receiving performance applications from around the globe, the 2013 Music line-up for the Maryport Harbour Festival is complete! 

Among the performers, are internationally renowned rock legends like Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash and Mostly Autumn, acclaimed folk performers in the Keltic Kats and the Duncan Mcfarlane Band, and even some “Lyric-Driven Dirt-Swing” in the form of Manchester's Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six! Throw into the mix the critically celebrated tribute act Blondied, winners of 'best New Scottish Act' at the Scottish Variety Awards – Finding Albert, and a whole host of amazing local talent, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy! 

Taking place over the bank holiday weekend of the 24th-26th May, and organised by the non-profit voluntary group the Solway Trust, there has been a special emphasis on creating a large-scale event that caters for a wide variety of tastes whilst remaining an affordable entertainment option to everyone in the area. Dean Marsh, from Solway Trust LTD, explains: 

“I think that this festival being ran and organised by local volunteers means a lot. We're organising this primarily for the benefit of the area, not  financial gain and yes, it is taxing and takes up a lot of our personal time, but we are getting immense satisfaction from knowing that we can grow this event for years to come. This is the main reason we have strived to keep the cost to the public as low as we can – the festival site is  free to visit, and at £25 for three days of fantastic music, I think our marquee is definitely one of the most  value-for-money venues around this summer!” 

And the excellence of the live music on offer cannot be doubted; fresh of winning “Best Band” at the Classic Rock Society awards this month, British Rock legends Mostly Autumn will headline the Friday with one of their epic performances that has won them fans the world-over... With support from local favourites, and hard-rocking stalwarts The Bullfrogs and Collision – the opening night of Maryport Harbour Festival is one not to be missed! 

Saturday will be a great day for entertainment, with a diverse selection of performers planned after the running of the annual trawler race!  Festival-goers will be treated to a voyage to the 1950’s and the golden age of rock and roll with The 45’s getting things underway! Next up, Kilkenny’s own Keltic Kats will be making the trip to the UK exclusively for Maryport Harbour Festival to get the audience singing and dancing with an expertly dispatched selection of Irish Folk Ballads!

Later in the day, The Deluxe will bring a fantastic blues set, and Scottish-based Finding Albert will take to the stage with their award-winning Rock and Electronica – and as Ally McCrae from BBC Radio One states; "If there's any justice, this band will be selling out stadiums next year."   Whilst local favourites AWOL will provide the high-energy rock classics of the 70’s and 80’s, the evening will culminate with what Les McKeown, of Bay City Rollers fame ,coined a “top class tribute act” -  the amazing Blondied!

The marquee on Sunday provides a rare treat for music lovers, with a tantalising mix of blues, rock and folk being performed by the amazing local talent of 13 Stars, Sarah & the Stormchasers, Secure Unit and Brighton's Stark!  Evening performers, The Duncan McFarlane Band , have been praised by Mike Harding from BBC Radio 2 for their “powerful playing” and  Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six   have been praised by  USA Weekly News as "One of the best and unique bands for their music, theatre and entertainment that the UK has produced this century... these guys are heading for stardom without doubt"  

Wrapping things up on Sunday night are Rock Legends Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash! Hitting the stage with an arsenal of Classic songs such as “Blowin' Free” and “Throw Down the Sword”, Sunday night is sure to end the weekend with a bang! 

It is hoped that with such a great music roster, attractive ticket prices and a range of attractions such as a full spring funfair and the annual trawler race, the festival will also provide a great boost to tourism in the area with visitors from far afield already placing orders for weekend wristbands. 

Local attendees will also have much to look forward to, along with the running of the fantastic Trawler Race – a mainstay of the local calendar and not to be missed, the harbourside is also planned to be awash with a wide range of stalls and traders to discover – the Solway Trust cannot wait to welcome you to your Maryport Harbour Festival!

Maryport Harbour Festival 2013 at Maryport Harbour, Maryport, Cumbria Fri 24th to Sun 26th May 2013 Tickets