WITH only five days to go until Humber Street Sesh brings Hull to life with an explosion of live music, organisers are urging people to purchase their wristband passes.
Today is the last day festival-goers will be able to order the £3 wristbands for next Saturday's music festival online or by phone but Sesh founder Mark Page is eager to spread the word that there are still plenty of other ways to get your hands on the sought-after passes.
He said: "We want to get the message across that although today is the last day you can order the passes at Hull Box Office, they will still be available in shops across Hull all week costing £3, or on the gate on the day for £5.
"The wristbands are selling really well. We've sold 1,200 at Chinese Laundry in the past two weeks alone but everybody who wants one should be able to get one. With only a few days to go now, it's getting really exciting and we're looking forward to it.
"It's been a massive journey for us getting everything ready but it really seems to have captured the imagination of the public once again – there's a real sense of expectation about."
Mark, who launched the first Humber Street Sesh in 2012 said this year's event is set to be the biggest and best yet.
"Last year was a real game- changer for us with 41,000 people coming down during the course of the day.
"But this year is about sustainability and making sure it can keep going every year as a self-sustaining event.
"We're hoping for another bumper turnout.
"I've heard that some people say this is the greatest day of the year on the city's calendar.
"I can't say that, but I'm not going to argue.
"I just like to think it's a true representation and celebration of the grassroots creative arts scene in Hull.
"We have so much talent in this city and, I've said it before, individually we are great but collectively we are awesome.
"I think that's been proved over the past two years."
A map of the Humber Street Sesh Festival. Click here for a full-size version.Venues selling the wristbands, which have been created by fashion designer Vicky Renzo, include Chinese Laundry, Beasley's, Welly, O'Rileys, The Warren, Fruit, The Polar Bear, Thieving Harry's, and Linnet & Lark, in Hull, and Minster Records, in Beverley.
The wristbands will also be available on the day at a stall in Queen Victoria Square or at any of the four entry gates to the Sesh site in Hull's Old Fruit Market.
Now in its third year, the Humber Street Sesh will be bigger than eve, with 180 bands taking to 11 stages during one hectic Saturday.
Gates open at 10am.
As well as live music, the event will also host a pop-up cinema, silent disco, art exhibitions, dance displays, a skateboard park and a comedy stage.
It will also feature a reunion performance from Hull favourites The Paddingtons, the first live performance from the hometown heroes in five years.
The group, who had two Top 40 singles and a debut album, First Come First, that sold almost 100,000 copies, will headline the Fruit stage on Saturday.
And although there is a limited capacity of 300 inside the Fruit venue, meaning it truly will be entry on a "first come, first served" basis on the door, organisers are pledging that no Padds fans will miss out.
A giant screen will be put up in Humber Street so that the thousands of people expected to want to attend the reunion show will be able to watch the gig outdoors.
• Entertainment news from the Hull Daily Mail
