In pictures: First ever Summer Solstice Sundown festival a hit

The inaugural Summer Solstice Sundown festival in Great Dunmow has been hailed a great success.

Organisers said the sell-out Covid-safe event had seven bands covering a variety of genres. Mick Wilson, formerly of 10cc, also performed for the crowd.

Dunmow Broadcast: Great Dunmow Town Council mayor Patrick Lavelle welcomes participants to the Gerat Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival Great Dunmow Town Council mayor Patrick Lavelle welcomes participants to the Gerat Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Town councillor Emma Marcus, one of the organisers, said: "We were delighted to see so many people thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Feedback so far is that everyone who joined the day had a great time.

"We did have a period of light rain, but we were very British, and it didn't spoil a thing! People just put up their brollies and got on with it."

Audience participants were in 'pods' on the Recreation Ground.

The event was a fundraiser for the mayor's charities - the Buffy Playbus, The Rowena Davey Centre and Uttlesford Community Travel.

Mayor Patrick Lavelle visited each of the pods, and was on stage several times.

He said: "I'm extremely pleased that we were able to host the first Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival very successfully this year.

"It was a fantastic opportunity to bring together the residents of Dunmow and start to heal our fractured community and it is very exciting to know that we have such fantastic local talent.

"We were able to manage the whole event in a safe way and we have successfully raised money for the three mayor's charities which are all local."

Andy Coleman from Bar House Events, who managed the catering, will also donate 20 percent of his proceeds to the funds.

Bands who played at the festival:

Mick Wilson

Natasha Strange

The Jabberwocky Prayers

Afterglow Acoustic Duo

Picture gallery

Dunmow Broadcast: Mick Wilson (ex 10cc) at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown Mick Wilson (ex 10cc) at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Natasha Strange with Nick Hinton at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown Natasha Strange with Nick Hinton at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Natasha Strange with Nick Hinton at Great Dunmow'Summer Solstice Sundown festival Natasha Strange with Nick Hinton at Great Dunmow'Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Natasha Strange with Nick Hinton at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival Natasha Strange with Nick Hinton at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Jabberwocky Prayers at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival The Jabberwocky Prayers at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Jabberwocky Prayers at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown The Jabberwocky Prayers at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Flaming Sons of Horn at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown music festival Flaming Sons of Horn at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown music festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Flaming Sons of Horn at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival Flaming Sons of Horn at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Mash-Up Society at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival The Mash-Up Society at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Mash-Up Society at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown music festival The Mash-Up Society at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown music festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Mash-Up Society play Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown The Mash-Up Society play Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Mash-Up Society at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown The Mash-Up Society at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Luminectric at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival The Luminectric at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The audience sat in Covid-safe 'pods' at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival The audience sat in Covid-safe 'pods' at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Fizz at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival Fizz at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Having fun inside their Covid-safe 'pod' at Great Dunmow's Summer Solstice Sundown festival Having fun inside their Covid-safe 'pod' at Great Dunmow's Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: Having fun at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival Having fun at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)

Dunmow Broadcast: The Covid-safe 'pods' at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival The Covid-safe 'pods' at Great Dunmow Summer Solstice Sundown festival (Image: Saffron Photo 2021)