THE cream of bands and artists from across East Lancashire have been lined up for this year's Moofest in Darwen.

The two-day festival on Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10, will boast over 50 live performances on two stages at the festival site at Wellybobs off Roman Road.

"There are so many talented bands around at the moment and we wanted to give them all a chance to show what they can do," said festival organiser Jamie Carter.

"There is a real community feel to the festival. Once we've covered our costs any money we make goes back to the artists, the organisers don't get anything out of it."

Moofest began life as Tockholesbury attracting up to 3,000 people in 2014. A change of venue to Wellybobs saw the inaugural Moofest proving a great success last year.

"This year we are having to charge for the first time" said Jamie, "but it is only a fiver each day. We want to reward the bands who are playing."

As well as live music on two stages there will also be real ales and food stalls. Townsend Records will be operating a vinyl stall and there will also be a vintage clothing and Moofest merchandising stall.

On the Saturday night there will also be a silent disco.

The second stage will be curated by Darwen-based Sunbird Records who will be showcasing some of the artists on their roster.

"There are some really exciting bands lined up," said Jamie. "Hermetic Electric are coming over from Belgium for the event and Mark Morriss from the Bluetones will also be performing. But he's doing it more as a mate than because he's a known artist."

A team of four - Jamie, his wife Patricia, Mark Purcer and Lee Smillie - are behind Moofest and have been working tirelessly since January.

"We are all basically music fans and we wanted to do something that would recognise the local bands.

"We're all set now for Moofest. This year we've had sponsorship from Heritage Envelopes and the event wouldn't be possible without the encouragement of Heath Kershaw at Wellybobs."

Moofest runs from noon to 11pm on the Saturday followed by a silent disco from 11pm to 2pm. On Sunday the festival runs from noon until 9pm. Admission is £5 per day in advance. Silent disco tickets are also £5. Tickets from www.fatsoma.com/moofest. Tickets on the day will be £8.

Moofest line-up

Saturday, July 9

Main Stage

Hot Vestry, The Wagon Wheels, The Working Man, Redeyed Jedi, Today They Are Older, Rime Suspex, The Slydes, Kris Fogg, Searching For Seraphim, Grace Davies

Roosevelt Room, Bad Cardigan

Sunbird Records Stage

DJ Other, Plastik Gangsta,

Naut, Hermetic Electric, RMB303, Jonathan Lindley

A New Line (Related), 3DEE,

Mattu, Terri Birtwistle, Ramsay Lohan

Silent Disco

Mark Johnstone (Reverb) L-JAY, Demented Disco, John and Jordan Riding (Naut), Otis Feelgood and The Mind The Gap Allstars

Sunday, July 10

Main Stage

Good Foxy, Mark Morriss (The Bluetones), The Good Foot, Fear The Fallen, The Inciders, Catalina Wine Mixer, No Teef, Gas Match Boom, Kellys Heroes

Sunbird Records Stage

Jamie Hamilton, Leah Haworth, The Amigos, C-Jay, Phil Taylor Fleming, Tony Sharples, The Walrus, Gaz Bailey