Has the Philadelphia Blues and Beer festival gone completely?

[medusa]

We've been to events over the last couple of years which have been really local to us and thoroughly enjoyed them, but this year we can't find any mention of dates or venues.

 

I know that we could have missed it, but it was in June in previous years and this year we can't find any announcements anywhere.

 

Does anyone know whether there's anything planned, and if there are any plans where and when?

 

Any information gratefully received. Please post on here as you can't PM me- ta muchly.

[Andy C]

I'm afraid it's gone but not forgotten, Bob and the team are still looking to bring it back in some form.

 

It was always held on Mayday bank holiday with a main stage venue hosting an all day programme of bands and a real ale bar and various supporting events in nearby pubs.

 

The first few held I was involved with the real ale bar CAMRA put on. The first one held at the blind centre off West Street was an amazing success, a massive turn out to see the bands and the bar sold out of everything. Then the venue closed and the following year it was moved out Hillsborough way to the Burton Street Project. It did ok that year, but the following year the turn out was very disapointing and the door money didn't cover the cost of the bands, and the bar didn't make any money either.

 

After that it moved to the George IV with the bands in the upstairs function room and the pub itself doing the bar. I don't think it worked quite as well and either way the pub has now closed down.

 

As I said, there is a desire to bring the event back next year, but a suitable venue for the main stage needs finding and it needs to be in a location that will attract a big enough turn out. It also requires landlords of the pubs participating in the fringe activites to organise their own bands and be confident that the bar take will cover the costs.

 

In the meantime look out for blues gigs that take place now and again in pubs like the Bath Hotel, Harlequin, New Barrack Tavern, Riverside and others.

[Andy C]

By the way, the guys that organised the festival all play in the Hummingbirds Blues Band - here is their website: http://www.hummingbirdsbluesband.co.uk/

[medusa]

Thanks for letting me know Andy. I'd found the Hummingbirds' website, but in previous years we've found reference to the blues festival at various gigs we've been to, or in flyers left in local pubs, or on the forum, but this year it's just occurred to me that there was a bit of a hole where there should have been a good day out getting gently pickled whilst listening to good music.

 

It's sad if no venue can be found to host the festival. I thought that Bamford Street was a great venue for it, but obviously others disagreed

[Andy C]

I'm not sure there was anything wrong with the venue itself at Burton Street, there has been debates about the poor attendance but a combination of things suspected - it's a long way out of town, people could see bands in pubs for free so didn't want to pay to go in the main venue and of course on a bank holiday weekend there are a lot of competing events (including the Student Union beer festival).

[feargal]

You can add lack of publicity - half the time, I never know these are on until they have been and gone!

[Andy C]

Its back..... a whole load of real ale pubs will be putting on blues bands as part of the Tramlines festival, see the Tramlines website for details.