Taking place between Thursday 20 July and Saturday 22 July 2017, Stockton Stages will take over a number of venues across Stockton Town Centre and welcome a thrilling array of top comedy and music talent.
The new festival adds a further date to the diary to complement the existing year-round programme of exciting and inspiring events taking place in Stockton Borough.
Stockton Stages will offer a variety of events to prick the ears of music lovers and tickle the funny bone of comedy fans.
The festival will feature headline music and comedy acts at ARC, Storytellers/KU and the Georgian Theatre, alongside free town centre activity including a mass karaoke event on the Friday evening, and town centre music and comedy stages as well as a specialist market on the Saturday. Wildcats frontman Mike McGrother will also be premiering his pub opera ‘Of Rogues and of Honest Men’ in ARC on the Saturday evening.
Annabel Turpin, Chief Executive of ARC Stockton, said: “It’s fantastic to be working with colleagues at TMA, Storytellers/KU and Mike McGrother to bring this festival together.
“We’re all in the business of putting on great performances and we thought it’d be a great idea to work together to bring top quality music and comedy to Stockton for a brilliant weekend of entertainment next summer.”
Jimmy Beck, owner of Storytellers and KU, said: “It’s something we’re all really looking forward to and I think everyone should be setting aside 20 to 22 July in their diary for next year – this will not be an event to be missed.”
Councillor Norma Wilburn, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Leisure and Culture, said: “The announcement of Stockton Stages marks another exciting addition to our already bustling programme of first class events taking place right around the year and across the Borough.
“We’re lucky to have such great organisations and artists in the Borough working together on events like these. We’re happy to support them in this new venture.
“Our reputation is well known for staging exceptional events, such as the renowned Stockton International Riverside Festival and this year’s British Cycling National Road Championships, and Stockton Stages will only serve to further enhance our standing.”
A full line-up of acts and ticket information will be announced in due course.