There’s only one direction to go if you want to catch the hottest tribute acts this summer, with the return of Harpenden’s own award-winning outdoor music festival.

Boyband megastars One Direction, who have taken the pop charts by storm around the world, might not be singing at Festival on the Field, but it’s the next best thing in the shape of the One Direction Tribute Show, who will be perfomring at the event on Saturday, July 5.

And that’s not all, the sound of two more worldwide pop names – Katy Perry and Rihanna – will be reproduced by the talented tribute performers Charlotte Hopley and her sister Katie to complete a fantastic line-up that will appeal to music lovers of all ages.

Festival ticket sales are going well and local sponsors are rushing to get involved with a family-friendly event. For example, headline band sponsorship has been taken up John Curtis and the estage agent will make a donation for every ticket presented at a purchase or sale through them during the 12 months following the festival.

Festival spokesman Mark Hill said: “We’re thrilled to have the One Direction Tribute Show performing at the festival. If they attract as much attention as the real thing, there’s bound to be a lot of excited youngsters enjoying their stage performance!

“And if boybands aren’t your thing, it’s great news that Charlotte Hopley – who was a tremendous success at the first Festival on the Field in 2012 – is returning in 2014 to wow our audience again by performing as Katy Perry. This time, she’s bringing her equally talented sister with a tribute to Rihanna.

“When you add the fact that Madness tribute band One Step Behind will headline, all I can say is wow! What a line-up we’ve got for people. I can promise a festival of music that will be a truly fantastic day out for all the family – and certainly will be one of best things happening in Harpenden in 2014!”

Besides the music there are plenty of activities planned away from the stage that will keep children of all ages happy, including a giant inflatable slide, bouncy castles, gladiator poles, inflatable sumo wrestling, football and dance activities, a 10-metre high climbing wall, face painting and a wandering magician.

There will also be plenty of food and refreshments, including a fully licensed bar, ice creams, teas, home-made cakes, strawberries and cream, popcorn and candyfloss, plus hot food outlets including Indian, Chinese, hog roast and more.

And there’s also a Festival Market, featuring a range of stalls including jewellery and accessories, crafts, vintage clothing, toys and games and health and beauty products.

The festival, run by the school associations of Sir John Lawes and Manland Primary School, was a sell-out success in 2012, attracting an audience of over 2,000 people and winning accolades from the organisation PTA-UK. The event won the Gold Star Award for Fundraising Achievement in the South of England, and then went on to become the overall winner for the UK in this category.

The 2014 show will once again raise thousands of pounds for school projects.

There are some impressive commercial sponsorship opportunities for the festival and the organisers would like to hear from local businesses who are interested in becoming a headline sponsor for this fantastic event, or who would like to be involved in some other way.

Festival on the Field 2014 will also coincide with the 75th anniversary of both schools and it’s hoped that former students from both schools will join in with the celebrations. Tickets can be purchased from the Festival on the Field website: www.festivalonthefield.co.uk and you can get in touch via the Festival on the Field 2014 Facebook page, by email at festivalonthefield@gmail.com or follow it on Twitter @FOTFHarpenden.