Family-friendly festival gets bigger and better
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IT’S not all music and booze... it’s for families too.
That’s the message from Skinandi’s nightclub as it prepares to hold its annual charity bash, the Sunday Sesh, next weekend.
Now in its fourth year, the Sunday Sesh will take place on June 3, from 2pm until midnight in the club.
This time around the proceeds will be going to two local causes – surfing festival Wave North and Thurso Youth Club.
This year the Sesh will include live music from the Chicken Pickers, Déjà Vu, They Drove by Night, The Sellouts, Kathy Shanks and Sid Davidson as well as a fun-filled children’s area.
Nightclub manager Andy Crawford said he wanted to get as many families involved with the event as possible.
“This year we’re hoping it’s going to be bigger and stronger than ever.
“What we are trying to do is create a strong family feel earlier on in the afternoon and show people it’s more than just a gig.
“The more we can make it family orientated, the more successful we think it will be.”
Darren Macleod, who handles all of the club’s live events, said there would be plenty on offer for visitors of all ages.
He said: “We have a diverse range of activities for the youngsters in the afternoon with face painting, a bouncy castle, a lucky dip ball pit, games and some magic from fantastic local magician Gary Lynch.
“It’s great to have an event where all ages can be entertained all day and all night long and it provides a great sense of community having all age groups mingling and enjoying themselves.
“It’s brilliant when you can see everyone from the age of five to 85 enjoying themselves, which has proven to be the case over the last three years.”
For those who are in it for the music then the line-up of talent is “second-to-none”, he added.
“Kathy and Sid will give us some great acoustic music in the afternoon, followed by pop, rock, rock ’n’ roll and country from The Sellouts, Déjà Vu, They Drove By Night and the Chicken Pickers in the evening.
“It’s going be grand.”
Wick-based band the Chicken Pickers were at the top of Andy’s list for this year’s Sesh.
He said: “They are one of the bands that we had earlier on in the line-up last year and as soon as we heard them we regretted not making them headliners.
“They are a very tight, well-organised band that just blew us away last year.”
The band has been getting a good reputation around the county for solid performances and the Sesh organisers hope it will really boost funds this year.
The money raised will help two local causes which are in a real need of support from the community.
Andy explained: “Thurso Youth Club has had a lot of funding cuts and at the moment money is tight.
“Wave North is also a festival still in its infancy that was put in place to help promote surfing in Thurso.
“As with everyone else, funding is quite tight so again we are happy to help.”
He added: “Skinandi’s is delighted to be supporting them in the best way that we can, through the Sunday Sesh.”
Thurso Youth Club’s centre co-ordinator Alan Hourston said the group was grateful for the support.
“It goes without saying that it is absolutely brilliant that we are being supported,” he said.
“Like a lot of voluntary organisations, we’re finding it pretty tough in the current financial climate and to be included with this annual event is much appreciated.”
Joan Lawrie, of Caithness Horizons, said the funds should help Wave North expand later this year.
“It means a lot for Wave North to be supported by the Sunday Sesh,” she said.
“We are working quite hard in getting something put together for October and as it is a community festival, it’s great that the community supports us.
“Darren and Andy have done us proud by taking us in and supporting us so that we can continue to make it bigger and better.”
Tickets will be available on the door — adults £5, under-18s £3 and under-12s free.
More information can be found on the club’s Facebook site.
