A fundraising bid has been launched for the biggest event of the summer – the High Tide Festival – which will include a stage on Twickenham Green for the first time ever!

The festival is a hugely popular music event that attracts visitors from across London and has been steadily growing in scale since its creation in 2019 – only interrupted by the pandemic lock-down..

The event is entirely free to attend and aims to seek out and showcase a diverse selection of the best young and established bands and musicians across 20 stages.

The festival is a hugely popular music event that attracts visitors from across London and has been steadily growing in scale since its creation in 2019

This year's event takes place on July 30th and will cover most of Twickenham in music, including a vast array of local talent.

This year's main stage will feature the likes of VC Pines, also known as Jack Mercer, the smart, articulate alt-soul singer-songwriter whose gripping tales of love, loss and late nights in London keep growing in depth and sophistication.

Other stages will feature, Los Pistoleros, who have been called Britain's super-star Americana band and the British (even though two of them are Irish) answer to the Mavericks

Visitors can also enjoy Cherym, who serve up a zingy, fearless new recipe for pop rock, and Living Body, a Leeds-based vocal-harmonising hook-laden indie/pop/rock collective.

The festival is delivered thanks to a collaboration between Eel Pie Records, Discover Twickenham BID, Richmond Council, The Friends of Twickenham Green and a wide range of local Twickenham businesses.

Come and enjoy the Diamond Jubilee Gardens Jazz Stage

This collaboration with The Friends Of Twickenham Green has allowed the organisers to include the first ever stage on the Green itself.

The collaborative nature of this community led event means the funding comes entirely from local businesses, the council and through crowdfunding.

Corporate sponsors are not involved to ensure the festival remains for the community, by the community. However, the organisers are hoping to raise £12,000 from residents in the order to fund the one-day festival, which offers a huge boost to local businesses.

With rising prices across the board and the festival increasing in scale this year it is more important than ever that the festival has as much financial backing from the community as possible.

The festival is the brainchild of Kevin Phil, Eel Pie Records, who said: "We had a very clear ambition to be more than just a shop. We wanted to be a community hub, a focus for music locally and a foundation from which to catalyse music-based activities and events. 

 "Our shop was the start. We then introduced music evenings, where anyone can drop in to share and celebrate new musical discoveries over a glass of wine. But we wanted more. Our vision included creating a free music festival for the whole of Twickenham.  

 "And in 2019, the High Tide Festival was born. A free festival for everyone to enjoy!"

The collaborative nature of this community led event means the funding comes entirely from local businesses, the council and through crowdfunding.

For this year's festival There are four external stages:

Main Stage, Civic Centre (Junction of Church Street and Arragon Road)

Jazz Stage, Diamond Jubilee Gardens (Along the Riverside overlooking The Thames.)

Youth Stage, Church Lane (In car park behind Eel Pie Records)

Twickenham Green Stage

And there will be performances at venues around Twickenham:

The Eel Pie Pub, Church Street

Brewery Market, Church Street

The George Pub, King Street

Twickenham Club, Church Street

The Cabbage Patch, London Road

The Exchange, London Road

Heatham House, Whitton Road

The Barmy Arms, The Embankment

Orleans House Gallery, Orleans Road

Emporium, Heath Road

…….with others to be confirmed.

The link to the fundraiser can be found here: High Tide Festival - Sunday 30 July 2023 - a Food and Drink crowdfunding project in Twickenham by Eel Pie Records (crowdfunder.co.uk)