| FORGET what the weathermen say, Colchester’s summer will officially start on May 1.
After the amazing success of last year’s Colchester Free Festival, the organisers and Founding Festival Partner Lion Walk Shopping Centre have decided they can’t wait until Saturday August 27 to bring music to the heart of the town. So every Sunday from May 1 until the Free Festival Lion Walk will host local live music acts who will entertain shoppers.
Each SoUNDAY Shopping event will feature two acts and over the 16 weeks of music, shoppers will be able to vote for their favourite at www.lionwalkshopping .com. The prize for the winning act will be a money-can’t-buy Golden Ticket to perform in front of thousands of people at the Free Festival in Colchester Castle Park on August 27.
The not-for-profit volunteer led public event will again provide a summer celebration of Colchester’s music, art and culture. Last year more than 15,000 people attended the festival which took place in both upper and lower Castle Park.
Lion Walk Shopping Centre was the first business to invest in the Free Festival last year and was the first to do so again this. Centre Manager, Paul Bentham said: “Lion Walk Shopping Centre is proud to be at the heart of community life in Colchester. The Free Festival showcases the best of our town and we are delighted to support it.”
“SoUNDAY Shopping will happen each week from May 1 and everyone can get involved simply by coming along on a Sunday afternoon, enjoying the music as they shop and then voting on-line. Two weeks before the Free Festival the two finalists will battle it out for the coveted wild card Golden Ticket to perform at Castle Park on the big day.”
 Lion Walk Shopping Centre Manager Paul Bentham
drumming up support for SoUNDAY Shopping
| 
