Looking ahead to this year’s Solihull Summer Fest
Even to those of us who love living here, Solihull might not be the first destination that springs to mind when you are talking about British tourist attractions.
Yet the annual Solihull Summer Fest, which takes place again this year at Tudor Grange Park over the long weekend of 20-23 July, is not only great fun for Solihull inhabitants but a major money spinner for the town.
And sitting down with Ian Rogers, the event’s founder, and organiser, to look at a ‘heat map’ of the 20,000 yearly ticket sales, it’s evident that the outdoor festival attracts visitors from all over the UK, with the knock-on effect of generating extra revenue – to the tune of around £4 million – for Solihull’s hotels, shops, restaurants, local businesses and transport providers.
“It’s become an event that many people look forward to,” says Ian, managing director of Solihull- based entertainment specialists The Original Entertainment Company, who initially came up with the concept in 2016.
“We generate a lot of repeat attendees, and regulars will have put the dates in their diary well in advance, to make sure they don’t miss out on the fun.”
Format
On the principle of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ the event will once again be following its tried-and-trusted format. At the heart of the weekend are the Saturday and Sunday night line-ups of live entertainment. This year will see Lisa Stansfield, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Blue and Artful Dodger performing on the 22nd, followed by The Human League, Boney M, Aswad, Odyssey, Johnny Hates Jazz and a live DJ set from Martin Kemp on the 23rd.
The Thursday and Friday evenings meanwhile are for the customary ‘warm-up’ pre-events. Friday 21st sees the return of Ibiza Proms in the Park, with a 50-piece orchestra and five vocalists performing iconic club anthems, whilst the (Marty Maraschino) cherry on the cake is arguably the big-screen showing of Grease on Thursday 20th. Following in the footsteps of previous outdoor film successes such as Mamma Mia!, Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, Danny and Sandy’s romance can be seen on a huge 42 sq. metre screen, followed by a live tribute act.
“The concept is a perfect curtain-raiser for the weekend,” explains Ian, “giving the audience the chance to enjoy the full movie experience, sitting down to enjoy the film before getting to their feet when the band takes the stage.”
Summer Fest is a family-friendly festival, appealing to all ages and friend groups. “Our main demographic sits in the 35+ category, and this is how we position our artist line-up each year,” explains Ian, who is also the Festival Director. “Although we are not Glastonbury, we would like to think that we have brought some big names to Solihull over the last eight years, for residents and guests to enjoy in a relaxed and fun environment.”
Fans of Olly Murs, Belinda Carlisle, Billy Ocean, Kool & The Gang, 10cc, Sister Sledge, Lulu, The Proclaimers, Level 42, Tony Hadley and local heroes UB40, among many others, would undoubtedly agree.
Ambassador
Ian is a tireless ambassador for his hometown. A key stakeholder and advisor to the Solihull Tourism Board and member of the Solihull Chamber Executive Committee, he was one of the co-creators of the Solihull Secret Supper Club, a multi-venue dining experience designed to boost the local hospitality industry and raise money for charity. He is also a mentor and business coach, assisting budding entrepreneurs with the transition from being employed to self-employed, whilst The Original Entertainment Company launched three new projects in 2022: The Forbidden Circus immersive horror attraction, the Pairc Festival celebrating Irish music, heritage and culture, and the Shirley Social, designed to encourage the local community to utilise green spaces and raise awareness of local independent businesses.
As a former DJ, music obviously plays a large part in his life, as does Summer Fest. “It doesn’t just happen!” he laughs good-naturedly. “There’s a fabulous team behind the scenes putting everything together, not only in the immediate build-up and over the weekend of the event itself, but well in advance. And pretty much as soon as this year’s Summer Fest is over, we’ll be thinking about the next, especially when it comes to talking to artists and agents, to see who might be available in 2024.”
So, guess what Ian will be doing on 24th July…
Paul Rouse
Festival facts
- The first event, in 2016, attracted 6,000 visitors
- The event has been held every year since, apart from a Covid-hit 2020
- 66% of ticket sales are to females
- The stars’ social media platforms play a big part in promoting the event: Sophie Ellis-Bextor for instance has over 437k followers on Instagram
- Each festival offers a range of sponsorship packages from £300 upwards