Thousands of music fans will be flocking to the coast this Friday for the early-awaited return of Mouth of the Tyne festival after a two-year absence due to Covid.
Following the cancellation last year of the summer festival - which already had been rescheduled from the previous year due to the pandemic - the music showcase will be back in Tynemouth for three days of entertainment. While local favourites Lighthouse Family are now off the line-up, having announced a split, the first night headliner Keane are guaranteed to kick off the party mood with style.
Mouth of the Tyne Festival always attracts tens of thousands of people over its run and this year's July 8-10 event - the 16th - is set to prove as popular as ever, as acts take to the stage against the dramatic backdrop of Tynemouth Priory and Castle. And festival-goers can expect the whole coastal village to embrace the party atmosphere with bars and restaurants vying for custom.
Read more: Guide to 2022's music festivals across the North East
The Keane gig is not sold out although there are still tickets available to see Sophie Ellis-Bextor on the Sunday leg of the festival, while those bought last year still remain valid. For those planning to go along and soak up the music - and hopefully some sunshine - here's a guide to the festival's timings and the programme. Because of the Lighthouse Family's cancellation, there is no longer a headliner in place for Saturday but the festival, which is run by North Tyneside Council, will be including street entertainment, walkabouts and a cabaret stage.
Mouth of the Tyne - Friday's timings
The festival kicks offs on July 8 and launches into a weekend of non-stop action. The times given for the support act are approximate but as near as they can be.
6pm - gates open at 6pm
7pm - Eliza Shaddad support act starts, to be followed by Keane.
10pm -The concert will finish by this time. Note that tickets for Keane are now sold out. To keep an eye out for any re-sale tickets which may be available from See Tickets Fan to Fan Marketplace and Tickets.
Travel
Parking will be very limited in Tynemouth over the festival - although there will be a limited number of blue badge parking places nearby - so it is recommended that public transport is used wherever possible. Front Street will be closed to cars.
Tynemouth’s Metro station being right in the middle of the action. Over the weekend, drivers will be able to use a park and ride service which will be operation from Beaconsfield, next to Tynemouth Aquarium, from 10am and until 6.20pm on the Saturday and 7.20pm on the Sunday.
Extra entertainment
Over the coming weekend there will be street entertainment, jazz, attractions -such as the creation of an urban forest by Wild - plus activities for children at Tynemouth Station which will include arty fun and a special under-fives area running alongside the weekend market. For the full festival programme see here.
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