Expect lost gold, outlaws & explosive action at Wild West Week

Two of the UK’s most successful music acts, Pixie Lott and the Noisettes are heading to the Isle of Wight this September as the confirmed headline acts for the high-spirited music festival, Eklectica.

Popstar, Pixie Lott, and indie rock band, the Noisettes, are the latest artists to be confirmed for the festival which returns to the Isle of Wight’s enchanting Robin Hill Country Park on Friday 7th – Sunday 9th September.

The multi-award-winning artists will help close the festival over the weekend and perform to the thousands of festivalgoers expected to turn out for the music festival.

Rob Holgate, the Event Director for Eklectica said of Pixie and the Noisettes’ addition to the line-up: “Having these two acts headline this year’s festival is fantastic! They’re young, they’re cool, they’re current and most importantly they have amazing voices and stellar stage presence so both acts will add to the exciting atmosphere that will no doubt be buzzing around the woodlands.”

Pixie Lott and the Noisettes join a line-up of other industry-leading acts set to take to the stage at this year’s Eklectica festival. Friday will see a vibrant set from radio DJ and presenter, Reggie Yates and a bouncing performance from one of the music industry’s most talented rappers, Tinchy Stryder. Pop rock bands, Scouting for Girls and The Hoosiers will be stealing the show on Saturday and then helping to bring the festival to a close on Sunday is Scottish rock band, The Fratellis, and legendary alternative rock band, Toploader.

The go-to festival for an escapist weekend full of chart-topping acts and wellbeing activities, Eklectica is also committed to championing newcomers in the music industry and will welcome artists including dance/electric band, The Wolf Club, 5-piece indie/electro band, who hail from the Isle of Wight, Nakamarra, and blues-rock guitarist, Kris Barrass, who has just released a new album.

Eklectica is also providing an opportunity to showcase the region’s local independent food and retail outlets, from quirky stalls such as hand-made, small-batch gin, Mermaid Gin, to the Isle of Wight Ice Cream Company, who source all their milk from just 2 miles away!

A not-to-be-missed festival, tickets are available from £25 and include day, weekend and weekend camping tickets. With easy access from Southampton and Portsmouth, those that book their tickets through the Eklectica website can now claim 25% discounted ferry travel with Red Funnel ferries and 20% discounted ferry travel with Wightlink ferries!

For more information about Eklectica and to book tickets, visit: www.eklectica.live

Visitors to Blackgang Chine, the oldest theme park in the country, are in for a real treat this season as the park celebrates its 175^th anniversary with lots of exciting events and activities planned throughout the year, including a brand new adventure as the story of  Blackgang Chine & the Curious Timeboat unfolds.

The celebrations start on Saturday 17 March when Blackgang Chine opens for the season and the first 175 visitors through the door will each receive a special celebration cup cake, each one numbered from 1 – 175!

Easter holidays are packed full of great entertainment, starting on Good Friday when our larger than life Dodos, Lady Penelope & Rafus, celebrate the opening of our NEW interpretation of  ‘Lost Valley of the Dodos’ complete with NEW dodo characters for you to discover, including DJ dodos mixing your favourite party tunes. There are also two NEW bouncy net bridges to get you across the Dodo Valley ravine; guaranteed to put a spring in your step!

Plus join in the fun with our Easter Eggsplorers every Tuesday and Wednesday (3^rd, 4^th, 10^th and 11^th April).   Become an explorer and see the park through new eyes!   Join the quest around Blackgang to discover untold stories with Blackgang characters to help you on your way.  Then dust off your magnifying glasses and make archaeological discoveries as you search the sand and uncover hidden critters in our fun Explorer Digs activity.

And if that’s not enough, take part in our new adventure, Blackgang & the Curious Timeboat.  Join our characters, the mischievous pirate of the past and eccentric, scatty inventor as they embark on a journey of discovery, soaring through time on a mission to collect magical fuel for their enchanted time travelling vessel.   This mis-matched duo and the curious timeboat are stuck in time at Blackgang and need your help to find the magic crystal which will power their timeboat and send them onto their next destination …..

You can follow the journey of our time travellers using our new online tracker at:  http://tracker.blackgangchine.com/

Expect celebrations throughout the year to commemorate Blackgang’s 175^th birthday: join our dinosaurs at a pre-historic dinner party during May Bank Holiday weekend, take part in cowboy hoedowns and shenanigans during May half term, and don’t miss our BIG 175^th birthday parties every Monday and Wednesday evening throughout the summer holidays – PLUS discover what happens next when the final crystal that powers the curious timeboat is found at ‘Blackgang By Night’ in October!

Blackgang Chine opens on Saturday 17^th March, 10am – 5pm, and all tickets include ‘unlimited FREE returns for 7 days!    Save money by purchasing 2018 tickets at 2017 prices online. This event is included in Blackgang Chine and Joint Park Frequent Visitor Passes too.

2018 HEADLINERS ANNOUNCED!

The Fratellis,  Scouting for Girls, The Hoosiers and Toploader and are among the first bands to be announced as headliners for Eklectica 2018, the boutique music festival @ Robin Hill Country Park taking place on 7^th, 8^th and 9^th September 2018.      Scouting for Girls will headline Saturday night supported by The Hoosiers and The Fratellis will headline Sunday supported by Toploader.    Friday night’s headliners are yet to be announced.

First release tickets are on sale now! These will include a limited number of Weekend Camping tickets including Friday night at £75 per adult and £55 for a young person (10-17 years).

The first 500 Weekend non-camping tickets sold (£60 per adult and £50 for a young person) will also include exclusive access to Friday night.   Day tickets (Saturday or Sunday) are £30 per adult and £25 per young person. Under 9’s are FREE!   For details and to purchase tickets visit : www.eklectica.live

James Crofts, Robin Hill Park Manager, said, “We’re really excited about the line-up for Eklectica 2018.  Building on our first year’s event, we’ve taken onboard feedback and we’re going bigger with a three day weekend, camping onsite, acclaimed talent, free kids tickets and great early bird offers. More acts will be announced in the New Year.”

 Scouting for Girls – throughout their immensely successful career they’ve sold over 1.5 million albums, two million singles, had four Brit Award nominations, an Ivor Novello nomination, had four top ten singles, sold-out Wembley Arena and sold-out The Royal Albert Hall and had a series of hit singles all of which were inescapable radio smashes.  Ten years later, Scouting For Girls prove they are unstoppable.

Currently on their 10^th Anniversary tour, Scouting for Girls will be playing their debut platinum album which has sold over 700,000 copies! Their self-titled debut album sat at No. 1 in the UK charts for two weeks and produced a number of hit singles including ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’ and ‘She’s So Lovely’.

Having sold over a million records and achieved smash hit singles ‘Goodbye Mr. A’, ‘Worried About Ray’, ‘Choices’ and top 10 albums ‘The Trick of Life’ and ‘The Illusion Of Safety’, The Hoosiers will hit the main stage on Saturday night.

As part of their NEW UK and North American tour, The Fratellis will be headlining with a new album ‘In Your Own Sweet Time’ released on 9^th March 2018.  The Fratellis had phenomenal success with their debut album ‘Costello Music’, and then went on to win the Best British Breakthrough Act at the Brit Awards in 2007. ‘In Your Own Sweet Time’ will be the band’s fifth studio album and features the brilliant new single ‘Stand Up Tragedy’.

 With over two million album sales to their name and a string of top 20 hits both at home and abroad Toploader are set to bring their debut album to the Main stage at Eklectica, including the iconic global hit ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’.

For tickets and more information click here!