Blues on the Farm, the annual four-day West Sussex based festival, has been named ‘Best British Blues Festival’ of 2010 in the annual British Blues Awards … And two leading blues artists have already been booked to play the 20th Anniversary Festival in June 2011.

The accolade of ‘Best British Blues Festival’ followed a major public vote, which placed Blues on the Farm as the UK’s most popular blues festival, beating-off competition from numerous other events around the country. The festival, staged annually in June, is already hugely popular among musicians and audiences and, in announcing the award, the British Blues Awards citation stated, “Blues on the Farm has for many a year been the festival the blues artists prefer to perform at. Now the people who pass through the gate have had their say and voted Blues on the Farm the Best British Blues Festival 2010. Congratulations!”

The Best British Blues Festival Award comes just as Blues on the Farm announces its dates for its 20^th Anniversary Festival in 2011. With a revamped schedule to ensure each day offers fans a full and varied line-up of bands and musicians, the 2011 dates will run as follows:

• Friday 17^th June               1.00 pm to 12 midnight
• Saturday 18^th June          12 noon to 12 midnight
• Sunday 19^th June             11.30am to 10pm

In addition, there will be a pre-festival gig for campers on the evening of Thursday 16^th June from 7.30 pm to 12 midnight.

Musically, the festival always features world class talent from around 20 bands offering different musical styles centred on classic and contemporary blues, blues-rock, soul and roots music. “I can already confirm two of the top acts for our 20^th Anniversary Blues on the Farm”, said Blues on the Farm organiser Julian Moores. “Procul Harum’s Gary Brooker and Friends will headline our Friday line-up. Gary last played here to great acclaim some 7 or 8 years ago, and this time is bringing a number of ‘Friends’, and knowing Gary this could include some very well-known names! On Saturday we’re bringing the world-renowned bluesman Walter Trout to Chichester. BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris names Walter as ‘the World’s greatest rock guitarist’ so we’re thrilled he will be with us for our 20^th Anniversary festival!”

Staged in a 40 acre setting on the Sussex Coastal plain a couple of miles south of Chichester, Blues on the Farm has a big reputation for offering a family friendly, safe and relaxed festival atmosphere, while presenting all the leading musicians and artists of the genre, many of whom were themselves also British Blues Awards winners. “We’re immensely grateful to all of the festival-goers who voted for us and made us the Number One blues festival in the country”, said Julian Moores. “And It’s great to see the likes of Oli Brown, Matt Schofield, The Ian Siegal Band, Joanne Shaw-Taylor and many other artists who have performed at our event also collecting awards”.

Tickets for Blues on the Farm 2011 will go on sale in the New Year. Updates on the festival will be available online at www.bluesonthefarm.co.uk.