Better World Festival 2021 line-up as acts announced

Better World Festival has announced a line-up of world music acts to play the free, family-friendly festival in August.

Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) is behind the new Better World Festival which will celebrate environment, unity and wellbeing and take place from Friday 6 August – Sunday 8 August 2021. Richard Buxton, BID Manager, said:

“Like all good festivals, Better World Festival will feature an incredible line-up of musicians over its three stages, over all three days with our main attraction being our World Music Stage.”

“To celebrate unity and to bring people together through music, we will be bringing a strong line-up of 23 global acts on this stage, including Sidiki Dembele from The Ivory Coast and July Julay from The Dominican Republic.”

Other acts to grace the World Music Stage will include ethereal Earth-pop duo Berne who have a deep-rooted mission to inspire better care for the planet through their music and lifestyle, and local musicians The Skalinskis, Other names on the bill include Mariachi Rey (Mexico), Golty Farabeau (Seychelles), The Sugar Tree (Spain), and Los Gitanos Kings (Spain). There will also be a long-awaited reunion slot featuring well-loved local band, Six Towns.

Meanwhile, the festival’s Folk and Acoustic stage located in Hanley Indoor Market’s amphitheatre area will be playing host to big names on the circuit like Samantha Lloyd, Merrym’n and Helena Raby.

Additionally, TOTEM Stoke will be hosting a mixed-arts area at Better World Festival, bringing together local musicians of all genres, performances and theatrical shows, creative drop-in workshops, poetry and spoken word, illustrations and painting, interactive and collaborative art installations, artisan stalls and markets, DJ collective showcases and more – all of which will be taking place at The Slamwich Club’s new outdoor venue and along Albion Street, throughout the three days.

Holly Johnson and Georgia Kliment-Temple make up the TOTEM Stoke team and they are thrilled to be a major part of the festival line-up:

“After having to put our 2020 plans on hold earlier this year, we are super excited to announce we will be working with the Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID to bring TOTEM TAKEOVER to Better World Festival, having been awarded funding through the BID’s CREATE fund.

“The event is right up our street as it gives us a platform to showcase the phenomenal level of creativity in our city. Plus, we’re weaving in the all-important sustainability theme through poetry and spoken word on topics of sustainability, environmentalism, and our world.

“We’re also excited to host our signature TOTEM song swap, where musicians of varying genres will swap and create covers of each other’s music to be performed exclusively at the festival!”

Complimenting the musical line-up, Better World Festival will bring together speakers, activists, pioneers, charities, community groups and everyone with an interest in creating positive change in this weekend event which will see an extensive line-up across a number of festival areas, each with an aim to inspire sustainable choices today for a better world tomorrow.

KIDZONE in Bethesda Gardens

The perfect stop for the little ones with activities to inspire the next generation into loving the planet, caring for each other and adopting healthy lifestyles. The whole family can enjoy arts and crafts, circus skills workshops, green storytelling and more.

HEALTH & MINDFULNESS RETREAT on Cheapside and outside Town Hall

A myriad of activities – from health checks and group exercise classes, to meditation sessions, drum circles, reiki and massages, will encourage visitors to keep their minds and bodies in tip-top condition.

CHARITY STREET at The Dudson Centre

Over 50 local charities will take over The Dudson Centre to chat and engage with the public about their work.

SPEAKER’S SQUARE in Tontine Square

Take time to listen and reflect at Speaker’s Square Stage with a programme packed full of inspiring and thought-provoking talks about many of the world’s issues, and how we can fight back collectively for the good of our future.

ARTISAN MARKET at Smithfield

We’re teaming up with Genr8 to bring to Smithfield an Artisan Market with 75 stalls selling all things sustainable, vintage, homemade and ethically sourced.

OUTDOOR FOOD VILLAGE at Crown Bank

Food and drink traders (all adhering to a strict no-plastic rule) will offer a huge range of cuisines from across the globe, with a particular emphasis on vegan and vegetarian dishes.

CHILLOUT RETREAT at The Hive

The Hive at The Potteries Centre will become a Chillout Retreat to help visitors take a breather and unwind – expect soothing music, comfy furniture to unwind in, and a calm, tranquil atmosphere.

Amy Whittaker, General Manager for The Potteries Centre says: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with the BID on the Better World Festival. This is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to see what Stoke-on-Trent City Centre has to offer. The Potteries Centre is proud to be involved in this event.”

People are encouraged to follow the Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID’s Facebook page (/stokeontrentcitycentrebid) and Twitter page (@stokeontrentbid) for the latest updates relating to Better World Festival 2021 and other initiatives.