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Margate Soul Festival returns for its 20th year with a headline performance from Emeli Sandé

Warm up your vocal chords as Margate’s annual Soul Festival returns for its 20th anniversary.

The Margate Soul Festival is held each year on the first weekend of August and, for this special anniversary, BRIT award winner Emeli Sandé will top the bill.

This year's Margate Soul Festival will be headlined by singer Emeli Sandé. Picture: Chrysalis
This year's Margate Soul Festival will be headlined by singer Emeli Sandé. Picture: Chrysalis

The 35-year-old singer-songwriter, whose hits include Heaven, Next to Me and Read All About It, began her music career by appearing on tracks by grime artists such as Wiley and Chipmunk.

Her debut album, the eight-times platinum selling Our Version Of Events, launched Emeli’s solo career in 2012. Since then, she has performed at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics and has been awarded an MBE.

Emeli’s most recent album, Let's Say For Instance, was released in May this year. It is her first album since signing to independent record label Chrysalis.

Emeli Sandé released her music through Virgin Records when she was 21 years old. Picture: Chrysalis
Emeli Sandé released her music through Virgin Records when she was 21 years old. Picture: Chrysalis

The chart-topping singer will perform on the festival’s outdoor Sunset Stage, which overlooks the sea.

Also appearing at this year’s festival will be house legends Ten City, who were an integral part of Chicago’s deep house movement in the 1990s.

The line-up also includes performances from Julie McKnight, Odyssey, Melba Moore, the Brand New Heavies, Loose Ends, Carroll Thompson and Juliet Roberts, to name just a few.

The Sunset Stage overlooks Margate beach. Picture: Margate Soul Festival
The Sunset Stage overlooks Margate beach. Picture: Margate Soul Festival

The Sunset Stage, this year renamed the Grace Special Edition Jamaican Style Jerk Sunset Stage, is sponsored by Graces Foods UK.

Grace Foods UK is a Caribbean food supplier which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, as well as 60 years of Jamaican independence. In addition to sponsoring the main stage, the food brand will be selling special edition bottles of their Grace Jamaican-style Jerk BBQ Sauce and Dunn's River Special Edition Jamaican Jerk Seasoning at the festival.

While the Sunset Stage is where Margate Soul Festival's biggest performances will take place, there will also be music at a number of other venues across the seaside town.

There will be live music inside the Winter Gardens and Olby’s Soul Cafe, as well as free pop-up stages throughout the Old Town area of Margate.

In total, there is expected to be more than 70 DJs and 10 major live acts across four main stages and eight themed venues over the weekend.

Margate Soul Festival has been a staple of the town for 20 years. Picture: Margate Soul Festival
Margate Soul Festival has been a staple of the town for 20 years. Picture: Margate Soul Festival

The festival opens on Friday, August 5 with a launch party and closes on Sunday, August 7 with a finale party after Emeli Sandé’s headline performance.

A standard weekend ticket costs £99, while day tickets range from £45 to £55. There is also a Soul Gold Experience weekend ticket, which includes fast track entry, merchandise and access to the private balcony, and costs £175.

Find more information, including all ticket prices and full festival programme, here.

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