A festival on the Essex seaside once attracted the biggest names in music.
With the famous Glastonbury festival finished, let’s take a look at a festival which could have easily competed with it.
In 1971, the Weeley Music Festival welcomed 50 bands for a three-day, round-the-clock music marathon.
It was the brainchild of the Clacton Round Table, but the organisers were unprepared for what was about to happen.
The postponement of that year's Isle of Wight Festival saw numerous bands heading for Weeley instead, including T.Rex, King Crimson, Status Quo, Mott the Hoople, Rory Gallagher, Arthur Brown and Mungo Jerry, who had just topped the charts around the world with In The Summertime.
Like Glastonbury 2025, the festival had Rod Stewart as a headliner for the event in 1971, which sold out 100,000 advance tickets in a short time.
Organisers pleaded for music fans to stop turning up, but crowds poured into the village, leaving mountains of rubbish and fields of tents.
A ticket was just £1.50 compared to the price of this year’s Glastonbury tickets, which cost a staggering £373.50.
More than 50 years onwards, the Weeley Tribute Festival will be a more relaxed affair.
This year’s event will include tributes to Tina Turner, Oasis, Status Quo, Madness and, of course, Rod Stewart.
For the first time, the event will also host a karaoke stage, where festival goers can showcase their talent and enjoy a singsong with friends.
Tickets for the Weeley Tribute Festival on August 23 can be bought online at skiddle.com/festivals/weeley-tribute-festival.
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