'Mini Festival' replaces 2019 Sark Summer Festival

Tuesday 23 July 2019

Sark will still be alive with music next month despite the cancellation of the island's Summer Festival.

The Sark Mini Festival has been organised in its place this year, with the bigger festival set to make a return in 2020.

The Summer Festival was due to take place on 9, 10 and 11 August this year, but organisers Mark Guillou and Simon Couldridge announced its cancellation in April.

Although all ticket-holders have been refunded, many had already booked travel and accommodation.

"Unfortunately we couldn't go ahead with the Sark Summer Festival because of family events," explained Mr Guillou. "We looked at different dates but there were lots of people coming anyway and we thought we needed to do something for those people. That was really the prime motivation."

The Mini Festival will take place that same weekend next month and will also feature two Channel Island bands each evening, as well as an acoustic 'Music Trail' around the island.

The performances will take place at various different restaurants, pubs and hotels with the main acts playing at the Bel Air and the Mermaid.

"I didn't want to just do something in one place," said Mr Guillou. "The whole idea is to spread it around a bit, so it benefits the whole of Sark.

"All the acoustic bands are basically paying for their lunch and they're being looked after in kind by the appropriate places."

Guernsey's Honest Crooks and Tantale will feature at the Bel Air on Friday, while The Pirates and Benny the Moth from Jersey will play at the Mermaid on Saturday, and Joe Corbin Band and Parish 13 head to the Bel Air on Sunday.

"It would be great if the Jersey transport links were better," continued Mr Guillou. "Sark Shipping are fantastic and will take six boats on the Friday and six boats on the Saturday. We've only got one coming from Jersey which is a little bit frustrating but I'm sure it comes down to economics.

"Sark Shipping are very proactive and they're really into it. It's a lot of work for them as well."

Many local acoustic performers will be dotted at venues around the island, including AJ's Garden, Time & Tide, Stocks, La Sablonnerie, Hathaways, Harry's, Caragh Chocolates, the Island Hall and La Vieux Clos.

Pictured: The event has since been updated to include the Island Hall and La Vieux Clos.

Mr Guillou confirmed the Sark Summer Festival will return next year, following the Sark Folk Festival's announcement that it will not host a 2020 event.

"We haven't confirmed a date but I was speaking to Simon and we're both mad for it," he said. "We didn't get everything right the first time but most of it was right. From everyone else's point of view it went fantastically well.

"Sark Mini Festival is basically a holding event just to look after this year. That's not to say we wouldn't ever do it again, but we don't want to flood Sark with events every two seconds."

Entry to all Sark Mini Festival events is free and festival-goers are advised to book their travel as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Updates and more information is available here.