Keynsham Music Festival 2012 is sure to hit the right note

This year's Keynsham Music Festival in the Park is taking place on Sunday July 1 in Keynsham Memorial Park from noon until 9.30pm. 

The free festival is Keynsham's biggest event with an emphasis on everything being as local as possible. 

This year's event is promising some of the best bands in the South West performing on three stages, family entertainment, a creative arena where professional artists give free workshops to children, interesting stalls, delicious, quality, locally sourced food, as well as local ales and ciders.

There will also be a wide selection of events throughout the week leading up to the Sunday, with something to suit all tastes.

"The festival is growing beyond recognition" said Suzy Mizrahi, festival co-ordinator. "We are particularly excited to see that the festival is developing into a week- long event, with performances throughout the town, as well as a weekend of music in the Park".

The festival week begins on Tuesday, June 26 with a romantic evening of Opera by Candlelight in the Park performed by London Opera Duet, Bell'aria. This is a free event. 

On Wednesday, June 27, Brejeiro will be bringing a Brazilian feel to the festival, performing an infectious and uplifting mix of mandolins and guitar, propelled by Latin percussion at Coffee#1.

For jazz connoisseurs, The Blue Notes will be performing a mixture of traditional, Dixieland and mainstream jazz at the Conservative Club on Thursday, June 28. 

The award-winning Great Western Chorus of Bristol will be performing at St John's Church on Friday, June 29. This promises to be one of the festival week highlights. Winners of the British Association of Barbershop Singers UK Chorus Competition a record eight times and seasoned performers, including shows at The Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall, the choir are real entertainers in the traditional sense of the word.

Anticipate stunning close harmonies and choreography. Last year the festival screened Mamma Mia and the response was phenomenal, so much so that an outdoor film screening seems set to become a regular feature. This year's Cinema under the Stars will be Grease. The film will be screened on Friday, June 29 in the park at dusk. The screening will be free although donations will be requested. In the event of rain, the film will be screened in a marquee.

The festival is slowly developing the Saturday programme as well. There will be music in the town from noon, and, from 1 – 6pm, Keynsham Sounds will showcase younger bands in the Park.

There will also be flag and bling your bike workshops as well as BMX demonstrations. 

And if this wasn't enough, Saturday will end with the traditional Classic Keynsham, a relaxing free evening of classical music in the Park at 7.30, with Pimms and Wine Bar. This year, Bath Spa String Quartet will perform well-known classical highlights from Bach, Dvorak, Barber, Debussy and Mozart and will be supported by a classical guitar recital with Adam Purnell.

This year's Keynsham Music Festival in the Park is taking place on Sunday, July 1 from noon – 9.30pm.

This year's highlights include bitter sweet story songs from Gavin Osborn, Anima Circus with their big beat ska implosion of raucous horns, Troy Ellis, son of the legendary Alton Ellis with his Hail Jamaica Reggae Band, the sound track to the summer with Rainy and the Dust and BARAKA, six-piece world music band with their heady mix of global beats. There are also lots of shows for children and their families including Professor Palmermoff's sleight of hand and Two for Tea with their unrelenting mix of acrobalance, table-cloth-pulling and teaspoon throwing as well as free workshops with professional artists in the Creative Arena and a hat challenge to get as many of the audience as possible to make outrageous hats at the festival.

The Sunday festival in the park, as well as much of the festival week programme, is still free, thanks to the continued support of Keynsham Town Council as well as a grant from B&NES and business sponsorships from Willmott Dixon, Taylor Wimpey, the Co-operative Membership and Ian McGill Transport Ltd. 

They are also dependant on the generosity of the audience and ask for a £2 donation from all adults to ensure the continued success of the festival.

For further information about all Keynsham Music Festival events, visit www.keynshammusicfestival.co.uk. Tickets for all the festival week performances are available from Keynsham Town Council on 0117 986 8683.