MUSIC fans are to be treated to a new-look, family-friendly festival in Knutsford in 2020.

Knutsford Music Festival was launched in 2017 by the town council, and has become a popular event in the town.

Following feedback with a view to increasing the availability of free events, the festival working group is looking to change the format of the 2020 festival, which takes place over the weekend of June 12 to 14.

The working party is proposing the council does not host three events across the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Instead the festival would comprise three nights of Folk at the Theatre, Music on the Moor, possibly Music on the Heath, business and community-hosted events and busking in the town centre.

Mark Radcliffe has confirmed his availability to host Folk at the Theatre.

This would take place in the Little Theatre on the Friday and Sunday, but in St John’s Church on the Saturday to increase capacity as a key festival event.

The Saturday event would replace the council’s previous ‘main event’.

Music on the Moor would return in a similar format to previous years.

“This has proven to be a popular event, greatly helped by two years of fantastic weather,” said town clerk Adam Keppel-Green.

“The event takes place on the Saturday afternoon, and would again comprise music workshops, live music on a stage and a craft tent.

“The event would also include a small, number of stalls providing refreshment and entertainment.

“Music on the Heath would be modelled on Music on the Moor, hosted on the Heath on a Sunday with a focus on classical music.”

It would comprise a stage hosting a range of classical performances, a workshop to enable people to experience classic instruments and stalls.

A busking ‘stage’ would be set up at a suitable place in the town centre, and there would be a programme of buskers providing entertainment throughout the day.

“The idea is that this will link with a national charity to encourage buskers to volunteer their time for the event,” added Adam.

“The option of having a piano in the town centre for people to play, with local pianists booked to perform, is also being explored.

“The working group has agreed that the overall design of the music festival literature will be brightened to reinforce the family-friendly nature of the festival.”