Stourbridge Carnival crowds ready to revel in Black Country celebrations
There will be a carnival spirit in Stourbridge this weekend as the town hosts its annual street party celebrating the Black Country.
Stourbridge Carnival will be taking place this Sunday with the town's streets full of live music, fun fair attractions and stalls.
It is the 30th running of the event which has also linked with the Black Country Festival - a month-long community celebration around Black Country Day.
There will be a host of events running through the day from 10am to 5pm with roads closed off in the town centre.
Taking over the High Street, Market Street and Coventry Street, this year's attractions will include a fun fair, a host of stalls and refreshments, performances, displays. There will also be a classic car display in Lower High Street.
Black Country T-Shirts, which has a shop in Castle Street, Dudley, will be selling merchandise and Black Country Flags.
The fun will kick off at 10.30am with the traditional Stourbridge Carnival Princess and Rosebud competition and the theme this year commemorates the carnival’s heydays in the late 1980s.
Around 20 stalls will pitch up in Coventry Street for the Black Country Festival alongside an outdoor stage featuring some of the best entertainment in the area from midday.
Presenters from Black Country Radio Dave Wooldridge, Dan Richards and Matt Dudley will be on stage on the day.
Black Country Festival committee chairman Steve Edwards said: "We are really looking forward to the carnival this year. It is great to be a part of it."
See below for the list of acts on the Black Country Festival stage
12.35pm Sam Gwinnell
Sam is a local acoustic singer/songwriter, based in Worcester. He's has played at a variety of venues around the Midlands, showcasing his impressive talent and range of influences, including acoustic pop and folk, through to 70s rock.
He brings a chilled out feel to his music and is currently working on producing his first E.P. which will be available later in the year.
1.20pm Esther Turner
Esther Turner is a UK singer/songwriter based in Birmingham.
She lists her musical influences as everyone from Michael Jackson to Avril Lavigne and Joni Mitchell to Basement Jaxx - to name but a few!
Esther's invested a huge amount of time into developing and refining her act. She taught herself to play the guitar, piano and the drums and started writing her own songs before heading out on the road.
In March 2016, Esther released a single entitled 'Close' which was very well received. Later the same year, she released a second single; 'Tell Me Straight'. Her new single, 'Swayin', is out now.
Her music has been played by BBC introducing and Esther has supported Ed Sheeran and The Jacksons as well as opening for Justin Bieber and Katy Perry on the Firestone stage at Birmingham's Barclaycard Arena.
Esther is currently working on an EP due for release this year.
2.05pm James Mattey
James first picked up a guitar around the age of six and his first live performance was at the age of nine.
He previously fronted The SJS Band and toured Holland and Belgium at the age of sixteen, as well as doing a live session for BBC Introducing. James currently fronts 'PRISM' and also performs solo acoustic shows.
He's in his final year of a music degree at the conservatoire at Leeds College of Music, after which he plans to begin a career in the music industry. His performance includes a healthy mix of originals and covers.
2.50pm Abi K
Abi is a 24-year-old jazz, blues and soul singer, based in Moseley.
She's lead singer of her band 'Abi K & The Roadsters' and has performed with artists including Robert Plant and Steve Winwood.
2017 promises to bring more musical good fortune, including embarking on a career as a singing teacher, as well as launching her EP, which can be found on Spotify, GooglePlay, and iTunes.
3.35pm The Fidgets
Made up of Max Stockin and Ryan Skidmore, both on vocals and guitar, The Fidgets began performing in March 2013 in and around Bromsgrove, quickly expanding to play regularly in Worcester and Birmingham - and performing for the 500th time in early 2016.
They have been songwriting since they formed, developing their own style from the influences in the covers they play. Their first EP ‘I’m Alright’ was released in April 2015, consisting of 4 original songs. This was followed in Summer 2016 by their first single ‘Hey!’ and subsequent EP ‘It’s Only You’.
Their new single 'Everywhere I Go' was released on the 31st March, 2017.
4.20pm The Daisies
The Daisies are two sisters; Grace and Mary, who have been performing together since they were extremely young, with local band 'Voodoo Blues'.
They gained a lot of experience of gigging, having played for artists including Cheryl Cole, Steps and The Killers on the Forum Live stage at Birmingham's Genting Arena.
In 2014, they were approached by the dad of a poorly baby named, Daisy- Mae Little. After a song was written about her recovery throughout the year, The Daisies added a melody and have performed it in many venues, including Daisy- Mae's christening, an abundance of fundraising events and (of course!) her first birthday!
