Shrewsbury street music festival ready for next year
A popular street music festival will return for a fourth year in 2016 – with the focus firmly on the future.
Shrewsbury's free street music festival, The Big Busk, will be held in and around the town centre on April 2.
As well as returning to its original one-day slot, next year's festival will also put the emphasis on young people with the theme of the Future of Music.
The Big Busk is held every year in memory of musician, poet and artist Guy Benson Bebbington, known as Ben, who died from head injuries after being attacked on a footpath in Ditherington in September 2012.
Bradley Davies, 18, and Stewart Doran, 21, both from Shrewsbury, were jailed for life for his murder.
Last year's event, which saw 300 musicians perform, raised a staggering £6,100 for Shrewsbury Ark – a homeless charity which supported Ben, who was 43 years old when he died.
Ben's sister Karen Higgins, one of the event's organisers, said: "Every year since the first event in 2013 we have wondered whether to do it again, and every year the enthusiasm, from both the people who come and watch and the musicians who give their time and talent for free to support us, is infectious.
For more information on events in and around Shrewsbury click here
"We always try to base the Big Busk around a theme, and this year we will be looking at the Future of Music, with a strong focus on the youth. The idea actually came from my son, Nathan, who said he wanted to see an area where people could try musical instruments for themselves and speak to artists about their music.
"Planning for next year's event is still in its very early stages, but we are confident that we will have something for everyone."
Last week Karen and her sister Annie Hambley were the proud recipients of this year's Shropshire Star Pride of Shropshire Awards People's Champion award and the overall winner title for their work in creating and organising the Big Busk.
Prime Minister David Cameron led the tributes to the two sisters for all their hard work. The idea behind the Big Busk is that all entertainment is free, with people only donating what they can afford.
