Local & Live Tunbridge Wells 2023: Everything You Need to Know About This Year’s Music Festival

Summer is almost over, which can only mean one thing: Local and Live 2023 is here! This year’s eagerly anticipated family-friendly celebration of local and grassroots music is set to begin at Calverley Grounds on the 25th of August from 5 pm, with a full, electrifying line-up of acts performing throughout the bank holiday weekend.

We’re thrilled to be running the bar again at this year’s Local & Live music festival, and we can’t wait for you to join us for what promises to be a memorable weekend of fantastic music, food, and drinks!

What is Local & Live?

Currently the largest annual event in Tunbridge Wells, Local & Live is a free music festival taking place in Calverley Grounds over the August bank holiday weekend. It is a celebration of local talent, a fantastic opportunity for grassroots artists to perform for a large crowd, and a fun-filled weekend for music enthusiasts of all ages.

Local & Live began back in 2004 on the Pantiles bandstand. It was originally planned (by friends Paul Dunton and Ollie Nichols) as a one-off day of live performances, but the show’s immense popularity and success helped it become an annual event. Local & Live outgrew the Pantiles and moved to Calverley Grounds in 2011.

Today, Local & Live is a registered charity with a mission to support, encourage, and nurture local music and culture. As a free event, the festival is funded by corporate donations, crowdfunding, and proceeds from the food and drinks stalls.

Local & Live at The Sussex Mews and the Forum

Local & Live will be hosted in Calverley Grounds from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th of August. When the sun sets each day, the party will move to the Forum – Tunbridge Wells’ legendary grassroots music venue (see the programme below for opening times).

Though the event wraps up in Calverley Grounds on Sunday, the festivities continue on Monday, the 28th of August, with an exciting line-up of acts playing at both The Sussex Mews, just outside The Sussex Arms pub, and at the Forum.

Can I get involved in the music festival?

If you’d like to help out, you can get in touch with the show’s organisers through the form on their website.

All of the slots for this year’s performances are filled, but if you’re a local artist interested in performing, you can sign up for the Local & Live newsletter to keep up to date with future opportunities.

To be eligible for applying to play at Local & Live, their website states that you must be able to play a set of at least 30 minutes of your own (original) music, and be based within 20 km of Calverley Grounds.

Do I need tickets?

You do not need tickets! Local & Live is a free music event open to everyone. You can support the event by buying food and drinks from the stalls or by donating at the event or through the Local & Live website.

The Bar

Housed in a vast (12 metres by 10 metres) stretch tent, we stock a huge range of beers, wines, ciders, and spirits at our Local & Live bar, which will be staffed by a friendly team from The George, The Sussex Arms, The Ragged Trousers and the Forum.

This year, locally brewed beer from Fonthill Brewing Co. will feature heavily with our super session pale, Easy (3.9%), Fonthill Lager (4%), and Pedal Steel Session IPA (4.5%) – perfect festival beers to sip in the sun.

We’ll also stock some of our house favourites, including Long Man Helles, Ascension Shimmy Cider, Gun Sacaramanger, and real ale from Long Man and Fonthill.

As well as Beavertown Gamma Ray, Guinness, Stowford Press Cider, and (lots and lots of) Budvar, there will also be a non-alcoholic draught option: Bitburger Drive.

Favourites from our wines and spirits lists will also be available at our bar, including Pimms and Aperol Spritzes. If you want a proper cocktail, Bob and Ali from Fonthill Taproom will run their Gin Box cocktail bar just next door to us.

The Local & Live food village will feature several local food companies, serving a variety of delicious cuisine, including vegetarian and vegan options.

Local & Live Programme 2023

You can find this programme, as well as information about all of the acts on the Local & Live website.

Friday

Calverley Grounds

• 5:00 pm Reptile Kin
• 5:40 pm Valentine
• 6:20 pm The River Flows
• 7:00 pm Night Without Sleep
• 7:40 pm The Next Agenda
• 8:20 pm Black Gabanza
• 9:10 pm Code: Marla

The Forum

*Doors open 7.30pm. Free entry. Donations encouraged. Music from 8pm.

• All The Above
• Grammar Vedetta
• Sean de Burca
• Yet to Invent

Saturday

Calverley Grounds

• 12:00 pm The Tilston Sisters
• 12:30 pm The Colas
• 1:00 pm Biddle
• 1:30 pm Charlie Krikorian
• 2:10 pm Elliott Graham
• 2:50 pm Jez Harley
• 3:30 pm Krow Tao
• 4:10 pm Anna Howie
• 4:50 pm Indya
• 5:30 pm Perry Ripley
• 6:10 pm Wild Horse
• 6:50 pm Wake up Leo
• 7:30 pm Kumala
• 8:10 pm James Kirby
• 9:05 pm Cyrano

The Forum

*Doors open at 9:45 pm. Free entry. Donations encouraged. Music from 10:15 pm.

• Superzero
• Dull Knife

Sunday

Calverley Grounds

• 12:00 pm Vox
• 12:30 pm Lauren V
• 1:00 pm Jennifer Lee Ridley
• 1:30 pm Erika Olson
• 2:00 pm Zoë Nicol
• 2:35 pm Ash Dodd
• 3:10 pm Cally Collective
• 3:50 pm Steffan James
• 4:30 pm Will Page
• 5:10 pm The Paul Dunton Orchestra
• 6:00 pm The Charlie Rivers Band
• 6:40 pm The Polygons
• 7:20 pm Prison Beach Club
• 8:00 pm Karobela
• 9:00 pm Two Weeks In Nashville

The Forum

*Doors 8.45 pm. Free entry. Donations encouraged. Music from 9.15 pm

• The Breretons
• The Ackerleys
• Coney Island maybe

Monday

The Forum

*Free entry. Donations encouraged. Doors open 12.45 pm.

• 1:30 pm The Street Lights
• 2:15 pm Candela Quinn
• 3:00 pm Benjamin Lewes
• 3:45 pm Leo & Tingley
• 4:30 pm Ryan Weeks
• 5:15 pm Ashen Keys
• 6:00 pm The Fiery Lights
• 6:55 pm Essie West
• 7:50 pm Higgs & The Bosons
• 8:45 pm Catching Mangoes

The Sussex Mews

*Free Entry. Donations encouraged.

• 1:15 pm Amelie (TBC)
• 2:00 pm Doris Amy
• 2:45 pm Sofia Lovell
• 3:30 pm Jack Leon Mackey
• 4:15 pm Sean Alexander
• 5:00 pm TBC
• 5:45 pm Nick Stephens
• 6:30 pm Luke Fraser
• 7:15 pm Shep & Co