A WEEKEND of beer and blues is to take place in Billericay next weekend, when the seventh annual Billericay Beer & Blues Festival takes place.

Organised by the Lions Club of Billericay and held in association with the New Crawdaddy Blues Club, the family friendly festival boasts a wealth of artists including the Roy Mette Band, Northsyde and the Blues Spiders.

Joining those three headline attractions on the bill will be the Roosters, Carousel, Booga Red, Connor Selby Band, the Heaters, Dave Press and Flawless Carbon.

It all kicks off on Friday June 24 until Sunday June 26, at the Billericay Town Football Club in Blunts Wall Road.

The festival - which first started in 2009 - puts on a full range of real ales and ciders along with the music. All proceeds go to towards various charities chosen by the ever-fundraising Lions Club, with Sunday being billed as Harry's Day.

Harry was a two year old local boy who died from leukaemia in January 2009.

His parents, Jim and Karen Smith founded Harry’s Charity as a way to thank Great Ormond Street Hospital for their efforts to save Harry’s life.

All the proceeds from Harry’s Day, and other events held in his name over that weekend, goes to the aid of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Great Ormond Street.

The Lions Club have invited the Harry’s Day team to join the festival on the Sunday and bring some of their children’s attractions with them.

Paul Dean, promoter of the New Crawdaddy Blues Club said: “I am delighted to have been asked to, once again, organise the music for the festival. It is for a great cause where all the money raised is distributed to various charities, overseen by the Lions Club of Billericay.

"The line-up of bands this year is extremely strong and, on Saturday, where else can you see seven top class acts for the admission price of just £3?

"We had a great turn out last year with over a thousand people attending on the Saturday alone, and hope to build on this year on year, in conjunction with The Lions Club and Billericay Town FC, to make this an even bigger and more successful yearly event.”

Hot food will be also available with a hog roast and more promised.

Admission is: Friday June 24: 5pm – 11pm, entry £3; Saturday June 25:11am -11pm, entry £3; Sunday June 26: 12noon – 8pm, entry £1.50.

Kids go free, although a donation is suggested for the Sunday entrance.

Visit billericaybeerfestival.co.uk for further details.

Programme:

Friday

20:45 - 23:00 Roy Mette Band (Headline act)

Saturday

14:30 - 15:30 Flawless Carbon

17:00 - 17:45 Dave Press

18:00 - 19:00 The Heaters

19:15 - 20:00 Connor Selby Band

20:15 - 21:15 The Roosters

21:30 - 23:00 Northsyde (Headline act)

Sunday

14:30 - 15:15 Booga Red

15:30 - 16:15 Carousel

17:00 - 18:00 The Blues Spiders (Headline act)