MOONFEST music festival will be back for a 10th anniversary special this spring.

The Kendal event was missing from the calendar in 2016, but returns for another three-day festival on Friday May 12 and Saturday 13 with another strong line-up of visiting names, top Cumbrian acts and even local school groups.

Marking a decade since the first show, the event will also be the last-ever at its present home at Mint Bridge, home of Kendal Rugby Club.

Live music and DJs will be spread over two stages, with a chill out zone, children's entertainment, refreshments and merchandise stalls also on the site.
Jeramiah Ferrari

Moonfest was founded to raise money for former rugby player Wayne Broadley, who was paralysed during a match in 2005, and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

Among the acts already confirmed for this year's event are some leading tribute bands, with Hot Red Chilli Peppers, Very Pet Shop Boys and Muse Inc all set to appear.

Manchester-based reggae rockers Jeramiah Ferrari are regular visitors to the region and will be bringing their energetic live show, with funk band Divide and Conker, and Philip James Turner and the Crow Mandala both heading up from Lancashire.


Molly Warburton (photo by Harry Atkinson) Carlisle-based punk outfit Colt 45 among the homegrown talents, with Furness acoustic favourites Paper Cranes, Workington alt rock band Youth Salute, and talented up-and-coming four-piece Graces also booked in to perform.

Other Cumbrian names announced so far include psychedelic upstarts Serene, London-based hometown band Shaft of Steel, Cobolt Collision, RevamP and Sold to the Sky.

Among the solo artists, Molly Warburton, Adrian Ventura, Ava Grace, and Megan S, and Anthony Owen will be ones to watch.

Providing DJ sets are Cliff Agar, Fallback Productions, DJ Kingtinny and DJ Milli, and earlier in the day there will be performers from Kendal College, Kirkbie Kendal School and Queen Katherine School.

More information and line-up announcements will be made available in the coming months.