The organisers of the Chickenstock music festival have something to crow about.

Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "one-way road to freedom" announcement last week they have confirmed they are to go ahead with a weekend of entertainment on a Stockbury farm between Maidstone and Sittingbourne this summer.

Under Boris's "road map" all Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are likely to be lifted by June 21.

Assistant event manager Sophie Giles said: "After the government's announcement last Monday we are optimistic and pleased to announce that Chickenstock Festival will go ahead this year."

She added: "We do have a social distancing safety plan ready and raring to go, should it be necessary at the time."

Headline acts from the rock, folk, acoustic, country and blues scene include 3 Daft Monkeys, Show of Hands, Hayseed Dixie and Sally Ironmonger with Brian Carter. They had all been booked for last year's postponed event. TV entertainer Richard Digance is unable to attend because of a clash with the new date.

The family friendly four-day festival created by husband and wife David and Moya Taylor in 2018 will run from Thursday July 22 to Sunday, July 25, in a field five minutes from the M2. It is named after the couple's pet chickens and Stockbury village and has evolved from a private back garden bash for 300 into a party in a paddock for 3,000.

The festival supports Kent businesses and sells ales from Chatham's Nelson Brewery and ciders from Marden-based Turners.

Sittingbourne Scouts prepare cooked breakfasts for campers to raise funds for their projects. The Happy Pants Animal Sanctuary, now based in Newington, will provide a small petting zoo for younger festival-goers.

The arena will be split into a ‘pod-style' grid with up to eight people per pod based on Covid regulations at the time. Those who leave their pod will need to wear a face mask.

There will be a one-way system installed. Food, drink and merchandise can be ordered from stalls in a "retail village" using an app to cut down on queuing. There will be no drinking at the bar.

A spokesman added: "There will be plenty of sanitising facilities around the festival arena, regardless of the situation at the time."

Organisers are accepting tickets for last year's postponed event. Adult weekend tickets are £79 (plus £20 camping). Under-18s and well-behaved dogs go free. One and two day tickets are also available from www.chickenstockfestival.co.uk/tickets.

For more information email info@chickenstockfestival.co.uk

Swale band Marylebone Jelly has already confirmed it will play Party in the Park 2021 at The Appleyard Sports Ground in Sittingbourne on Saturday, July 3.

The annual bash was postponed from last year when it was to have also featured Top Loader, the Curb Pilots, The Choos and the Harry Evans Band.

Marylebone Jelly have also been booked to appear at The Stumble Inn, Sittingbourne, on Friday, July 9 and are hoping to bounce back with The 80s Mix Tape 3 Back To School party night at The Appleyard in the Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne, on June 5. The Government is not planning to remove all coronavirus restrictions by then but theatres and other venues are likely to be open from May 17

The Heritage, Sheppey’s first micropub at Halfway, has booked singer and guitarist Mike Harris to perform in its garden at 3pm on Sunday, April 18. That is likely to be one of the first live performances in the area.

Landlord Melvin Hopper said: “Bookings are being taken now for Sunday, April 18. As we try to get back to some sort of normality we can announce that we have the fabulous smoothie Mike Harris booked.”

There’s reasons to be cheerful in the summertime. A New Day Festival, Swale’s biggest outdoor music event, has confirmed it is going ahead this year.

Organisers say the retro fest at Mount Ephraim Gardens, Faversham, will return on August 20-22 with headliners The Blockheads, Mungo Jerry, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Edgar Broughton and Dutch band Focus.

Also in the line-up are Kent band Big River and the Acoustic Strawbs featuring Sheppey’s Dave Lambert on lead guitar.

Spokesman Dave Rees said: “Good news, at last. It is looking good for small festivals this summer and we cannot wait.”

But he warned: “Please, if you possibly can, buy your tickets before end of March to avoid a predicted massive increase in VAT. We’d rather give it to the bands than to the government and it could make all the difference in looking to safeguard future festivals.”

He insisted: “Your money is safe. If the government shuts us down again, full refunds will, of course, be available.”

Outdoor events are allowed from June 21. Tickets at www.anewdayfestival.com

He added: “We’d like to thank all the bands, stewards, support workers and suppliers who have stayed with us throughout the appalling times we have endured. We all deserve a fantastic party at Mount Ephraim and that is exactly what we are going to have.”

Also on the line-up are Kent band Big River and the Acoustic Strawbs featuring Sheppey’s Dave Lambert on lead guitar.

According to the government’s “road plan” festivals should be allowed to be held again from June 21. Tickets from last year’s event remain valid.

Tickets at www.anewdayfestival.com

Read more: Review of the 2019 Chickenstock here

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne

Read more: All the latest news from Faversham

Read more: All the latest news from Sheppey