Local talent in the spotlight for music festival at St Albans school

Preparations are well underway for a music festival in St Albans which has built a reputation for showcasing local talent.

Marlborough Science Academy in Watling Street hosts the annual M Festival which is being held on Saturday, July 11.

Now in its sixth year, it has raised over £30,000 for the school and features live music from local bands including Billington & Quinn, Waiting for Katherine, Fallow Fields, Bright Conclusions, Nathan Watson and the Freakanomics as well as the best of musical talent from the school itself.

Headlining this year are CC Smugglers who have performed to hundreds of thousands of people at some of the biggest mainstream UK and European festivals including Glastonbury.

Over 1,500 people are expected to attend the festival which will have plenty of family-friendly activities including face painting, bouncy castles, henna tattoos, hair braiding, jousting, rodeo bull, bungee run, fun photobooth and a professional caricaturist.

Art, drama and hula-hooping workshops will also be running throughout the day and there will be a wide variety of food and drink options.

The festival is open to all and gates open at 2.30pm with live music from 3pm and CC Smugglers on stage at 10pm. A firework finale will end the event at 11pm.

Tickets can be booked online or at the gate on the day. More information can be found on the festival website: www.themfestival.co.uk