Billy Bragg, The Staves and Seth Lakeman among acts to play final Towersey festival

The organisers of Towersey have said that ongoing financial challenges mean the 60th anniversary of the much-loved, family-run festival will be its last.

Towersey takes place on the Claydon Estate in Buckinghamshire from Friday, August 23, to Monday, August 26.

More than 100 artists will perform across 10 stages with acts including legendary folk-rock singer songwriters Billy Bragg and Seth Lakeman, female folk rock outfit The Staves, Scottish folk rockers Tide Lines, American singer-songwriter Pokey Lafarge with the godfathers of punk folk Oysterband due to play a career spanning set,

Towersey was founded by Denis Manners MBE in 1965, five years before even Glastonbury opened its gates, Towersey has a long legacy in roots and folk music.

For six decades, against a background of profound cultural and societal change, Towersey continued to bring communities together through the celebration of traditional dance, culture and creative experiences.

Festival Co-Director’s Mary Hodson and Joe Heap, two of Denis’s grandchildren who now run the event, said, “Firstly, we want you to know – Towersey 2024 will be one hell of a party.

“We are excited to bring you our best and most eclectic line-up of artists ever.

“However, it is with the heaviest of hearts that we also deliver this message.

“Like so many other independent and grassroots festivals, Towersey is facing the very sad prospect of ending after this year’s festival, our 60th year.”

Aside from music, Towersey has a programme packed with other activities including 48 hours of Ceilidh, dance and street theatre, silent discos, comedy, circus skills, storytelling and children’s entertainers.

This will include performances from all-round entertainer Jason Maverick, who’ll perform his One Man Circus show with a crazy amount of clowning, juggling and mime, highly skilled and captivating hula hooper, Angie Mack, and delight comedic storytelling of The Extraordinary Time Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

During the festival there will also be performances from Rhubarb Theatre, stories from author Mark Fraser, interactive workshops from Suitcase Circus and the return of the Conservatoire Folk Ensemble.

Mary Hodson and Joe Heap added: “We have worked incredibly hard over the last few years to try to bring Towersey back to financial stability.

“The pandemic wiped all our back up and changed the face of festivals across the industry.

“Coming back from this and the economic challenges we’ve all felt since then has been all but impossible. Without investment partnerships or a fundamental change to the character of the festival, we have concluded that we will have to bow out after this year.

“We are proud of what we’ve achieved with Towersey and the massive contributions we’ve made over the years to charities, local causes, tourism, and emerging artists.

“More importantly, we believe festivals like Towersey are crucial for creating better communities and societies and for finding hope and humanity in an otherwise challenging world.

“We will continue to fight, and endeavour to find a way of continuing to realise the hopes and dreams of our grandparents and founders, but it will not be through Towersey Festival anymore.”

Adult weekend tickets cost £212 before fees.

There are concessions available for local residents, festival goers over the age of 65, students, those on universal credit, teenagers and children.

Day tickets are also available and cost £65 for adults. Day ticket concessions are again also available.

For full details, visit www.towerseyfestival.com