NEARLY 30 musicians and bands will take to the Greystock Festival stage this weekend when Wivenhoe plays host to some of the best performers in the region.

Amy Winehouse tribute Sammy B to the 2017 Essex Songwriter of the Year, Jade North, will perform at the family festival at Wivenhoe Tempest Football Club.

A gin bar will be propped up alongside bouncy castles, a rum shack, hog roast, 'pimped Prosecco' and real ale from Maldon Brewery and Crouch Vale.

For Black Jacket Events, the company also behind the cookery school at Braxted Park, the festival will be the first time the team launches their new Barista-style mobile coffee cart using Mac and Me coffee beans.

Wedding and events manager Hannah Driver, from Colchester, who organised the music, said: "Greystock Festival started five years ago, when Black Jacket Events owned the Greyhound pub in Wivenhoe, because the town hadn't had a music festival for a few years and we wanted to raise money for local projects.

"After selling the pub at the end of last year, we knew we wanted to go bigger and better but still stick with the free activities for children.

"Black Jacket Events is well-known for sticking our neck on the line and trying out new and wonderful ideas. We also love to help organisations raise money."

Proceeds from the free festival will help fund pricey 3G pitches at the football club's grounds.

Given most of the Black Jacket staff have connections with the club, it is a perfect match.

She said: "Our director William Grinsted and his wife Kayleigh also have children at Millfields Primary School and Greystock is his vision.

"He hopes for it to grow each year, bring the community together and raise as much money as we can.

"We'd like to see 1,000 people over the course of each day. Previous numbers suggest the footfall could be around this number but we have the capacity for up to 5,000."

Greystock Festival opens from 12 noon both days and finishes at 11pm.

Music on Saturday starts at 2pm and Sunday from 1.30pm.