Kettfest returns to Kettering with arts, culture, music with High Street stages new for 2023

Kettering’s community festival – Kettfest 2023 – is set to return to town centre streets with its eclectic mix of arts, culture and music.

Taking place on Saturday, July 15, festival promises ‘one day – five stages – across the town - celebrating the best of Kettering’.

Held seven times since 2015, Kettfest founding organiser Jo Selby-Green has handed over duties to five stage managers who will take control of their ‘stages’.

Zoe Martin, Kettering Cultural Consortium representative said: “By delegating the stages, we hope to give the local community greater ownership and ensure Kettfest’s sustainability, going forward.

"The response from local talent and businesses signing up to be involved has been amazing. Kettfest is all about communities getting creative and having fun, whilst supporting our hard-working local businesses on the high street.”

Kettering Arts Centre will host the ‘Main Stage’ in Kettering Market Place with stages spreading out into the town centre’s pedestrianised streets.

Rev Tom Houston, Kettering Arts Centre said: “Kettering Arts Centre is so excited to have been asked to host the Main Stage in the Market Place this year. We have had a great response already from some amazing bands and this will be a day you don’t want to miss out on. Bring on Kettfest 2023.”

Intersales Music Academy (ISM) and Jamie Cooper (of Jamie’s Quality Butchers) will host ‘Busking and BBQ’ at the Clock Tower Stage.

Jason Redhead, ISM Music Academy said: “ISM Music Academy is super excited to have been given the incredible opportunity to host the Clock Stage at Kettfest 2023, as our dream is to grow the love of music and the arts in and around Kettering.

"Each day, we encourage the incredible talent of our students and the many more talented musicians in Kettering. We want everyone to get behind Kettfest 2023 - let's all work together to keep music alive in Kettering.”

Jamie Cooper, added: "It's great to see both ends of the town unified for Kettfest, because the more we do together, the bigger our town can be."

The Community Performances Stage in Meadow Road will be hosted by Shire Sounds and Beccy Hurrell Voice and Arts.

Kettering performance poet, Kezzabelle will host the Spoken Word Stage, in Kettering Library, while the Green Patch will transform the Parish Hall into a Fun Zone.

Music fans can visit The Yards, where Peter Chamberlain will run the popular Schtumfest DJ Stage.

Peter said: “We are bringing our family-friendly music event to Kettfest with big named headliners as well as the best local talent as we love to give back to the community as a thanks for their support.”

Kettering Town Council and Kettering Community Consortium, thanks to Historic England, are the funders of this community event and, this year, they have enlisted a number of enthusiastic champions of the arts and local businesses to help organise and host.

Chair of Kettering Town Council’s Markets and Events Committee Cllr Craig Skinner said: “Kettfest gives our local creative communities a chance to shine and show everyone what they can do. We hope as many people get involved as possible – there are lots of opportunities to join in with the festival.”