One of Suffolk’s most popular summer festivals is staging a free online event to keep audiences entertained and ensure it remains financially solvent during the coronavirus pandemic.
Suffolk’s own creatively unique Maui Waui Festival – now in its eighth year – is launching a free online festival event at the end of August where fans and viewers can watch, chat and support the music, performance and circus industries from home.
The Maui Waui Festival, usually based at Theberton, is plugging into the web and connecting its musical veins into the mainframe to bring audiences a weekend of live bands, DJs, art auctions, comedy and multi-media performances.
Anne Steel, from Maui Waui Festival, said that even though this year’s event has been cancelled, organisers are determined to create a virtual festival to keep the flags flying and provide some needed entertainment for festivalgoers.
They have setup stages, with live bands and DJs, on the festival site and they will be playing all weekend. “Expect to see some of your favourite performers beamed direct to your screens,” she said.
The whole show is going to be built live and audiences have the chance to be part of it. The organisers want to include footage your homegrown Maui Waui camps.
Throughout the weekend they will be accepting photos and videos of viewers watching the stream and enjoying the weekend, so they can include them into the live show and have some interactive fun with audiences across the country.
Anne said that in addition to keeping the spirit of the Maui Waui Festival alive, they hope to raise enough money to pay the artists and those performers suffering during the ongoing lockdown.
“The festival industry has been totally knocked out and everyone from artists, organisers and suppliers have been left with no income for the whole year, so in addition to raising awareness for the industry we aim to generate some financial support for the festival and all its performers, suppliers and crew.”
The festival has created a crowdfunding page to collect donations from audiences wishing to help the performers who have entertained Suffolk audiences during the last eight years. “All money donated will go to the festival, artists, suppliers and more with the aim not only entertain but also support those in need,” said Anne.
The crowdfunding page can be found hereMaui Waui’s “Online” Festival will be broadcasting over the Bank Holiday weekend August 28-30. Details about bands, artists and DJ’s and more details will be announced soon on the festival’s Facebook event page:
Meanwhile further details about watching the festival can be found on the Maui Waui webpage
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