Simply UB40 on stage.placeholder image
Simply UB40 on stage.

GALLERY: Thousands attend sunshine reggae festival in Skegness

Organisers of the Skegness Reggae and Ska Festival have been blown away by the response to the three-day event.

The sun finally came out for the crowds soaking up the vibes in the grounds of the The Royal Hotel.

It was hosted by Walcott X of Endeavour FM in association with The Hive nightclub.

This year featured a new food court and a second stage with a DJ on the Drummond Road car park.

Three thousand people attended on Saturday with hundreds more through the gates on Friday and Sunday.

Headliners for the weekend include Strictly UB40, Skapones, Sole Bouncers, Carisoul Vibes and One Step Behind.

"We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive feedback,” said Craig Cresswell, who was working alongside Richard Hutchinson, both general managers at The Hive, over the weekend.

"We listened to visitors last year and this year we provided more toilets and drinks were cheaper.

"There was a charge of £5 a day and £10 for the weekend but costs are high and we were able to provide a safe and controlled event for everyone to enjoy.”

"The whole town benefit with people travelling from as far as Birmingham and London and staying in town,” added Craig. “We saw people all over town in colourful reggae outfits.”

Last year local businessman Taj Bola, who owns The Royal and the Hive Complex, invested £50,000 to save the event, which had previously been organised in town by Visit Lincs Coast Destination (BID) before its demise.

Next year’s dates have already been released as July 4, 5 and 6.

For details visit the Skegness Reggae and Ska Festival on Facebook.

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