Published: June 15, 2021 | Updated: 16th June 2021
It’s been revving up fans of vintage and retro music, vehicles, dancing, fashion and lifestyle living for nearly a decade and is back in style in just under two months.
Shake & Stir Vintage Music Festival started life at the bandstand on Fisherman’s Walk in Southbourne and has grown year on year to become one of the most popular events of its kind in the UK.
Even the pandemic couldn’t stop it with the 2020 festival streamed across various social media channels and its website as a ‘home edition’ event.
This year’s festival is on Saturday August 7 (11am to 6pm) and Sunday August 8 (11am to 5pm).
The free to attend event has the mantra of ‘safety and sustainability’ this year.
Supported by Dorset Devils, the festival will feature around 80 traders including vintage fashion, vintage art, vintage traders, art, craft, antiques and collectors as well as food, drink and bars.
A full line up of bands over the two days on two stages will have music from the 1920’s to the 1970’s.
The Saturday line-up is:
Sunday sees:
Other entertainment includes:
Evening entertainment:
So far there are five sponsors for the festival but more are needed.
They are:
Competitions include:
Mandy Polkey, Festival Director, pictured, said: “Shake and Stir Vintage Music Festival is an event held in the heart of the Southbourne business community.
“It’s been a rocky road with Covid but we are keeping all fingers crossed that the event on August 7 and 8 will go ahead.
“It was moved from its original dates at the end of June to, hopefully, ensure that it will have a good chance to be delivered.
“There is no guarantee that it will happen although, at this time, with the four week lock down extension we will still be able to go ahead if all is well.
“I feel the imminent pain of my fellow event organisers as the reality is that some events will now be cancelled or postponed again.
“Organising an event involves passion, finance, coordination and time – the impact of the lockdown extension will be huge but the reasons behind it are reality.
“The festival ticks many boxes.
“For some it is part of the community as it is an event that grew out of the community.
“It is a music festival that is beloved of the people and the businesses locally as well as being a key event of the calendar of vintage music and lifestyle followers across the country.
“Hotels and guest houses are being booked to accommodate the visitors, bands, artists and traders that attend the event.
“Bands and artists are being booked, some that have not played once or made one penny since lockdown.
“Traders are booking into the event from all over the country bringing a vast range of goods including fashion, lifestyle, home artifacts, collectibles and much more to suit and be enjoyed by attendees.
“Again for many such traders this will be the first time they have traded since lockdown.
“Over 120 individual businesses will be involved in the festival.
“I am proud that an event like this can give economic opportunities and have such a wide knock-on financial impact across our area, not least the additional footfall that will benefit the restaurants, shops and businesses across town.
“The festival will be a lovely opportunity to relax and enjoy yourself.
“Classic cars, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, brilliant bands and artists, loads to see and do for all ages – come and enjoy!”
