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Event breeds confidence in city, director says

Sarah-May Buccieri,in Hulland
Eleanor Maslin,East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
BBC Mark Page - a man in a grey cap with a long grey beard and moustache is smiling into the camera lens. He is wearing a white top, blue lanyard and you can see a stage and people dotted about on a street behind him.BBC
Mark Page is director of Humber Street Sesh

A festival director said Hull's biggest one-day festival had created "confidence and a sense of wellbeing in the city".

More than 100 acts took to 10 stages across Hull Marina on Saturday for Humber Street Sesh, the city's biggest one-day festival.

The event was headlined by singer-songwriter Fiona-Lee, with other performers including Walt Disco, The Kairos, Flat Moon, Gravy and The Family Battenberg.

Mark Page, the festival's director, said: "It brings the community together but more importantly it provides those all-important platforms for emerging grass-root artists."

Several people are gathered in a square with a stage in the distance.
Ten stages are situated across Hull Marina for Humber Street Sesh

Speaking at the festival, Page said emerging artists had experienced "a tough time over recent years with venues closing".

"It's really important that Hull gets on board and supports what we're doing.

"It breeds confidence and creates a sense of wellbeing in the city."

At 16:00 BST, the festival paid tribute to Paul Jackson from The New Adelphi Club with all music stopping so the crowd could applaud him.

Jackson was a leading figure in Hull's music scene and died in March following a short illness.

Rachel Gilroy - a woman with long brown hair - is wearing a starfish necklace, a white frilly top with flowers on and is smiling in black sunglasses. Behind her you can see people gathered in a street and a bar and benches in the background.
Rachel Gilroy was at Humber Street Sesh to watch her son, known as DJ Renzo Music

Earlier this year, organisers said the festival "narrowly avoided closure due to financial pressures".

It now operates as a Community Interest Company (CIC), meaning all money from funding, donations and sponsorship is reinvested back into the local community and grassroots music initiatives.

Page said the event was "untenable" last year, as the organisers "couldn't meet all the costs".

A group of people dancing next to Hull Marina.
People were seen dancing along Hull Marina

Rachel Gilroy, 46, from Hull, was at the festival to support her son, who was performing on The Residents Association Block Party Stage as DJ Renzo Music.

She said: "It's wonderful for local people and children and it's a great atmosphere. We're really excited."

She added: "There's loads going on. I can't believe how many stages there are."

Two women smile into the camera. The woman on the left wears large sunglasses, a banana and a gold locket necklace with a brown vest top. The woman on the right has black hair, is also wearing a bandana and has a silver necklace which says M on it and is wearing a black top and holding a large white cup. Metal railings and a street can be seen behind them.
Meg Scarlett (right) was at the festival with Sophie Clarke to watch her boyfriend perform in Sundown Silver

Meg Scarlett, 27, was at the festival to see her boyfriend perform on one of the stages with his band, Sundown Silver.

"I think it brings a lot of Hull's music scene together," Scarlett said.

Her friend, Sophie Clarke, 31, said: "It's nice to see a huge amount of diversity in different acts and nice to see that it's local."

A woman can be seen on stage in a white and black short dress with a flowy top over it. She is singing into a microphone with other musicians including guitarists and a drummer alongside her. People can be seen standing at the front of the stage watching.
Local musicians are performing on the stages

Zac Girdlestone, 41, from Hull, said he loves Sesh and attends every year.

"It's always a fun day," he said.

"I always enjoy finding something new," he said.

Stephen Rawlings, from Beverley, said: "It's the first time I've been.

"It's a good turnout and I imagine as the day goes on it will get busier and busier."

Two men in summer shirts are wearing sunglasses and smiling into the camera as they are sat down in along a marina. The man on the left is wearing a red and white stripy top and the man on the right is wearing quirky orange sunglasses with a white shirt with blue trees on it.
Zac Girdlestone (right) says he attends Humber Street Sesh every year

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