Chuckery Festival returns

The festival first took place in the Chuckery neighbourhood in 2011 but, having outgrown its original location, will be hosted at the bandstand for the fifth successive year.

The event will see six hours of live music being performed by musicians from Chuckery and the wider Walsall area.

As well as music there is entertainment for children in the form of face painting and a merry-go-round, as well as hot and cold refreshments.

This year the festival has been funded by a grant from the Big Lottery and donations from Mercedes-Benz of Walsall, Chamberlin Hill plc and ProGuard Security.

As a result, the main event is free to attend. It takes place from 12-6pm and is being headlined by The Red Lemon Electric Blues Band.

It is not just the musicians that have been locally sourced. The sound system and security both come from local companies.

Chairman of Chuckery Festival, Mike Abel, said: “That’s our ethos, if we get any money in we try and spend it as locally as possible.

“The whole thing is organised by volunteers. They take nothing out of the money we raise.

“That’s the important thing, it’s people giving back to the community they are part of.”