NEW “Garden Gatherings” will replace the popular Leigh Folk Festival this year, bringing live music and street performers to the town.

The new festival in Leigh Library Gardens, called The Garden Gatherings, will aim to bring families together over a three-day period in September.

Street food stalls will be installed alongside stages for comedy and live music inside the garden walls.

The Leigh Folk Festival has been delayed this year, with its 30th anniversary planned for June next year.

Neil Harding, Leigh Folk Arts chairman, said: “Leigh Folk Festival has been part of Southend’s summer events for nearly 30 years, and while Leigh Folk Festival in its traditional format is not viable for our voluntary team of organisers this year, we’re proud to be putting forward three jam-packed alternative events, collectively dubbed The Garden Gatherings.

“We have a long history of creating fun community events that embrace our ethos of a broad church approach to folk music and have incorporated street performance, spoken word, comedy, children’s activities, storytelling, film and more in our history.

“In a year where we’ve been physically apart and the creative industries decimated, we can’t wait to bring people back together again.”

Both events have been organised by the Leigh Folk Arts group, with funds raised from the Garden Gatherings going towards the folk festival.

Ticketed events on Friday September 3 and Saturday September 4 will generate the funds, which will be followed by free community music and arts entertainment on the Sunday.

This will include children’s entertainers, street theatre, art workshops, dancing, and a boutique market.

Ron Sverdloff, who lives in Old Leigh, added: “We all need something to make us smile again, it’s been a tough year.

“As long as it’s not overtaken by the hooligans that have plagued Leigh for a while, it will be great.

“Leigh is becoming more and more popular, so we have to make the most of it.”

The Leigh Folk Festival is planned for June 3 and 4 2022.