Cottingham Springboard Festival is a live grassroots music festival that takes place annually in the village of Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
History The first Cottingham Springboard Festival was created as an afternoon and evening music event. It took place on 12 August 2006 in the Old Brewery Room of the King William IV public house in Cottingham.Johnson, Paul Jump On The Springboard Hull Daily Mail 5 August 2006
In 2007 the festival was expanded to a full weekend,The Cottingham Times Springboard Live Free Music Festival at the King William IV Pub August 10th, 11th and 12th The Cottingham Times issue 68/July 2007 and in 2008 had spread to five venues.The Cottingham Times Springboard Free Live Music Festival to take place between the 6th and 8th June at Five Venues throughout Cottingham The Cottingham Times issue 78/May 2008 The festival gave rise to a spin-off event Springboard Monthly, an evening with new and developing acts which ran until 2011 at the King William IV .
By 2010 Springboard was being held across six venues: The King William IV, The Blue Bell, The Duke of Cumberland, The Hallgate Tavern, The Cross Keys and The Railway Hotel) with eight amplified and managed stages and open mic and busking areas. For 2011 The Black Prince venue joined in the festival, taking the place of the Railway Hotel. The Cottingham Times Acoustic, Electric, Eclectic: Back For 2011 The Cottingham Springboard Free Live Music Festival, May 26th to May 29th The Cottingham Times May 2007
In 2011, BBC Radio Humberside broadcast a two-hour live programme from the Springboard Festival."Live at Cottingham Springboard Festival", BBC Radio Humberside, 29 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2015"Cottingham Springboard Festival on Bank Holiday weekend", BBC News, 17 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2015
In 2014 the event was held within seven village public houses, and involved two hundred acts, particularly those from Hull and the East Riding."Cottingham Springboard Festival prepares to welcome thousands of music lovers" , Hull Daily Mail, 8 May 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2015
In 2015, the tenth year of the festival, Cottingham Civic Hall was added to the event, now of ten venues and twelve official stages: Festival Will Be Bigger Than Ever: village turned into live music venue for event's 10th anniversary Hull Daily Mail 23 April 2015 Cottingham Civic Hall's two stages, The King William IV, The Blue Bell, The Duke of Cumberland's two stages, The Hallgate Tavern, The Cross Keys, The Railway, C.C.Coffee cafe, Woksoever restaurant, and the Olive Garden cafe. Kristoff's restaurant in the village provides a fringe line-up of music.
In 2020, the bands played virtually at the festival.
Performers The festival presents on average around 200 acts each year, being new performers, local performers, or experienced and well-known acts. At least one international act has performed each year including those from Canada, Senegal, Tasmania and Australia. French-based American bluesman Adrian Byron Burns (Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings), has been a frequent contributor to the event. At the 2009 festival the Blue Bell venue was compered by the Hull Blokes comedy collective. The 2010 festival was involved in the launch of a CD by a number of festival performers as part of the Larkin 25 project, which marked the 25th anniversary of the death of the poet Philip Larkin.
References
External links Official Springboard website Springboard Monthly website Cottingham Times website East Riding Of Yorkshire Council's EYEvents website