Annual music festival promises to be bigger, better and brighter than ever before

The spirit of Woodstock ’69 lives on in Chiswick with the annual groveSTOCK music festival promising to be bigger, better and brighter than ever before.

The SIXTH festival is from 2-00pm until 10-00pm on Saturday 18 June in the lush gardens of St Paul’s Church on the corner of Hartington and Grove Park roads.

Live music is performed all day. Headlining the evening is West London’s hugely popular rockers The Fat Chance Band. Back by popular demand is Chiswick’s own Sydney Rae White of Her and the Colours with her new line up. We also feature the wonderful blues/jazz sound of Chevonne Jones and the smooth swing of Harry Dolan. Making their debut is Tender Objects with its mix of Anglo-Swedish indie-pop.

Wonderfully talented children compete for £200 in prize money and the groveFACTOR title on the competition stage. There’s also a kidsCHORAL, which will be tutored by West End musical director Mike Reed and the internationally renowned X-Factor vocal coach Annie Skates. St Paul’s director of music Ian Stephenson will join them as groveFACTOR judges.

One of the joys of groveSTOCK for those with children (and those without) is the kidsCORNER. It’s a safe haven, away from the crowd, where kids can play and be entertained by Charlie the Clown and Sally Sunshine.

The Ken Hammond Gourmet Barbecue Experience offers top quality food all day and there’ll be plenty of cooling Pimms, wine, beer and soft drinks.

“What’s great about groveSTOCK is that it’s intimate and friendly, just like your own garden party, but big enough to have top class entertainment,” said the organiser, Sara Hodson. “There’s also the liberating feeling that someone else will clean up afterwards. Oh, that includes me. But I don’t ever mind because I enjoy the day so much!”

The leading sponsor of groveSTOCK 2011 is one of Chiswick’s most successful estate agents, Andrew Nunn. Other sponsors and supporters so far include Maria Kempinska, the founder of Jongleurs Comedy club, Lorraine Angliss, of Annies and Rock and Rose restaurants, Mike Reed, Roko Health Club, Little Gym and The Chiswick Salon in Fauconberg Road.

Tickets will be available online before the end of April from www.grovestock.co.uk or from leading Grove Park shops. An adult ticket will be £10 if bought in advance and £15 on the day. 13-18 year olds will be charged £5 and children under 13 will be admitted for free.

Profits will go to St Paul’s charities including a professional lighting and sound system for the use of the Chiswick community.

Even Joni Mitchell saw what was coming in her song, “Woodstock”.

We are stardust.
We are golden.
And we’ve got to get ourselves back to the (St Pauls) garden.

April 5, 2011