A MAJOR new music festival featuring the Zombies, Dodgy and Hugh Cornwell will take place on the outskirts of Dorchester.

The debut festival Forever Sun will take place on the Came estate on the site of the former Dorchester showground on Friday, August 16 to Saturday 17.

The festival is expected to attract 5,000 festivalgoers.

Musician Jamie Pinnow and his film-maker friend Dave Williams decided the area was lacking a music festival for adult music lovers who love good live gigs.

Jamie, 35, said: “We’ll have everything from rock to folk, from ethnic to urban and on top of that comedy, street theatre and great food.

“We’ve both been overwhelmed with the interest – it’s gone a bit mental and I’ve spent most of the last few weeks on the phone to agents.”

Big name acts that have been confirmed include the Zombies, Dodgy and Hugh Cornwell from The Stranglers, The Standards, Neil Innes and John Otway.

There will be three stages – the main stage, Nobby’s Stage, which is named in honour of the late Steve Charles, and the curiosity stage.

Jamie, who organises the popular Open Mic Surgery in Dorchester on Thursday nights at Tom Brown’s pub, added: “It will be real music, with quality musicians and it’s the first time we’ve organised anything on this scale.

Dorset Echo:

“We want to show it can be done in this great area that we live in.”

Local artists will also be a big feature of the weekend with the line up already featuring Zoe Schwarz, Nick Capaldi, Andy Grant, Elijah Wolf, The Gravity Drive, Ty Xanders, Sugar Myth, The Dinnerladies, Vanilla Radio and Danny and the Goosemen.

Jamie says Forever Sun is planned to be an over-14s festival only and that this will not rival popular local family festival Camp Bestival.

The full two-day festival ticket will be £50 but later on it will be possible to buy daytime passes.

Camping is also free if you purchase the weekend ticket.

On the Friday music is planned to start at 6pm but on the Saturday music is expected to play from 11am until midnight.

Jamie added: “It’s early days and a lot has to be confirmed so watch out for new bands being announced.”

For more information and to book visit foreversun.co.uk