A POPULAR music festival is returning to Swindon next year.

All-day extravaganza My Dad’s Bigger Than Your Dad Festival will be back for its third year in the Town Gardens on Saturday July 22.

The event is organised in association with South Swindon Parish Council in tribute to former The Victoria and 12 Bar landlord Dave Young, who died of bowel cancer at Prospect Hospice in June 2021.

The yearly concert has raised thousands of pounds for the hospice in Dave's honour. 

This year's festival attracted more than 800 people and brought together some of the best acts of the local music scene, including The Lost Trades, All Ears Avow, and Rave Against The Regime.

Dave's widow Anna Sprawson said: “We are looking forward to putting on the best possible festival that we can for our third year in tribute to Dave and to support Prospect Hospice.

“We are pulling out all the stops to make this the best year ever celebrating not only the local music scene in the wonderful surroundings of Old Town Gardens but also to support Prospect Hospice and raise much-needed funds.

“Prospect Hospice is a wonderful organisation who were there for Dave and our family at our greatest time of need so every bit of money raised is a way of giving back to them.

“In 2022, we raised more than £7,000 for Prospect Hospice and we are determined to raise more than that in 2023.”

This year's event had Future Planning as its headline sponsor and took place over two stages with acts performing on the Old Town Bandstand acoustic stage and the main stage in the Old Town Bowl.

Co-organiser Ed Dyer said: “We are currently doing a lot of background work in preparation for 2023 and can assure everyone that we will be booking the best possible acts to make it our best year ever.

“My Dad’s has become a real showcase of what amazing artists Swindon has to offer. It is a real community family-friendly festival and we are all volunteers with all the profit going to the charity.”

There will be plenty of activities for all the family, and food and drink from a variety of Swindon vendors, including a licensed bar and a popular craft market.

Sponsors of the event included Future Planning, Hills Waste, Swindon Link, Gastech, Leighton’s Opticians, and Holmes Music.

Early tickets for next year’s event are available now from the website www.mydadsbiggerthanyourdad.co.uk