A DANCE tent will add to the bouncing atmosphere when Clockstock returns this weekend, writes Simon Mulligan.

The festival returns to Clock Face Recreation Club this Saturday (August 31), with a host of musical acts taking to the stage throughout the day.

The fun will last from 2pm to 10pm, followed by an after party inside the social club.

The event, which is in its third year, raises funds for the Clock Face Miners open age rugby league side.

Organisers have been delighted to see the festival grow each year since its inception in 2017.

Almost 500 people are expected to go through the doors, with plans from 2020 to boost the capacity to 1,000.

Organisers Craig Hunt, Susan Edmonds and Earl Raff are anticipating another successful event for 2019 with some familiar faces and new ones hitting the stage.

Clock Face’s Kiera Weathers, a singer who featured in the televised finals of the X Factor in 2015, returns as do other acts including Skylights and U-Sonic along with The Alleys.

Meanwhile other acts on the day will include Chicken Man and the Bad Eggs.

London-based band U-Sonic played at Clockstock last year and asked organisers if they could perform again this time around.

Craig Hunt, one of the organisers, said: “We have tried to grow it by 10 per cent each year and this year we have the dance stage.

“Again there’s going to be local bands and Kiera is playing again.

“There will be Skylights from Liverpool and U-Sonic, from London, who volunteered to play this year because they loved the atmosphere last year.

“They enjoyed it that much they volunteered for this year.

“We’re hoping to make it make it bigger again next year. We have numerous events for the junior rugby but not for the open age.

“The event has done brilliantly, we are hoping for another great year.

“We’ve got DJs and dance music that’s going on all day in the dance tent.

“We’ve got indie music, rock music and other genres. Hopefully there’s something for everybody.”

n Entry to Clockstock, on Crawford Street, is £10 for adults, £5 for 12 to 17-year-olds and free for younger children.

People can pay on the door.