Summer Streets announces its return to Sunderland - with a new home

Popular free music festival Summer Streets is back – but in a new home for 2019.
Photo by Ben HughesPhoto by Ben Hughes
Photo by Ben Hughes

This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, July 13, and is once again being organised by Ross Millard, from both The Futureheads and Frankie and the Heartstrings.

Summer Streets started life in Southwick, but moved to Recreation Park, Seaburn, last year as part of the Tall Ships festivities.

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Now in its sixth year, the festival will remain in Seaburn, but will be held on Cliffe Park.

“The festival was such a success in Seaburn last year, the turnout was huge and feedback was very positive so we have decided to stay on the coast. However, we’re really keen to retain our strong links with Southwick and we’re delighted that once again Southwick

Neighbourhood Youth Project will be part of the day. We’re also putting on shuttle buses from Southwick so people won’t miss out,” explained Ross.

As always, the festival aims to showcase talent from around region, but there are some performers from further afield involved – one of them being Aristas del Gremio, a Spanish brass/funk band.

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“There’s the usual eclectic mix, so we have the Royal Northern Sinfonia performing, but also Paul Smith from Maximo Park and Roxy Girls. Other local talent includes hip hop artist Kay Greyson; soul band Vandebilt; Gateshead singer songwriter Morris Ford; party band Hip Hop

Last year's Summer Streets at Seaburn Rec. Pictures by Ben Hughes.Last year's Summer Streets at Seaburn Rec. Pictures by Ben Hughes.
Last year's Summer Streets at Seaburn Rec. Pictures by Ben Hughes.

Hooray and Summer Streets favourites Picnic, who are a six-piece Sunderland-based funk pop band,” added Ross.

Young people from We Make Culture’s Young Songwriters’ group will also be performing. Summer Streets has always been a family occasion and this year will be no exception.

Treats for younger festival goers will include Tiny Tweeties singing classes; a junkyard orchestra workshop from early-years arts group Chalk; kite making from Pauline Taylor and theatre-for-one shadow puppetry from Lyn Killeen.

Sunderland Culture’s Head of Performance Helen Green has been working with Ross to develop a Summer Streets performance programme.