It’s hardly surprising that Folkestone Ska Fest has become an annual highlight on the national music calendar at the hands of organiser John Sims.

After all, John was at the epicentre of the ska and 2-Tone heyday of the late 1970s and early 1980s as the art director for Chrysalis Records, whose 2-Tone Records label included the Specials and the Selecter.

John is now busy at the helm of this year’s festival which runs from Friday, August 8 to Sunday, August 11, but back then he was working at the pioneering edge of the wave of ska coming off the back of the fading punk era.

Known by his nickname Teflon, John worked under the creative influence of Jerry Dammers of the Specials, and played a crucial part in creating many of the black and white graphics, logos and artwork distinctive to the music genre.

John worked on the Selecter’s 1980 album Too Much Pressure and the Specials’ groundbreaking single Ghost Town.

Mixing in those circles at the pinnacle of their productivity, it is little wonder that his connections, alongside the Folkestone team, have turned the festival founded in 2010 into what it is today.

“I had already done exhibitions of my 2-Tone graphics in London, Brighton and even in New York when someone said, ‘Are you going to do one in Folkestone?’,” remembers John, 64, who lives in Hawkinge just outside the town.

“I wanted to do something special, not just an exhibition in a gallery. With three friends, I sat down and we decided to do this festival for a bit of fun and we were astonished at the amount of people who came. Year by year it gets bigger.

“We’re all volunteers. We do it purely for the town, for the passion, for the massive ska and reggae scene here in the South East.”

There are some big international names from the world of ska playing on the festival’s main stage within the Leas Cliff Hall, including the Pioneers, Roy ‘Mr Symarip’ Ellis and Winston Francis among many others, but John anticipates his highlight as seeing young children enjoying the free events which will take place on The Leas, including Ska Fest Island and a giant sandpit.

“The Skamanians are coming from the south of France, they are a marching band and on Friday afternoon they will be playing ska outside the Leas Cliff Hall and on Saturday lunchtime they’ll be playing near Debenhams in the town,” says John.

“It’s happy music. My high point when I see children dressed with their pork pie hats with mum and dad, enjoying themselves.”

SKA FEST: Headline acts

Friday, August 8: Roy ‘Mr Symarip’ Ellis will be performing on the main stage at the Leas Cliff Hall at 9.30pm.

Saturday, August 9: Jackie Robinson and George Dekker – known as the Pioneers – will take to the Leas Cliff Hall main stage at 10.30pm.

Sunday, August 10: Former Sheridans member Winston Francis commands the Leas Cliff Hall main stage from 6.30pm.

FACTFILE

Folkestone Ska Fest runs from Friday, August 8 to Sunday, August 11. It will be held predominantly in the Leas Cliff Hall and The Leas area, though pubs and other venues will be holding associated events. Ticket prices vary from £10 up to the full premium package to all events costing £60. Visit www.folkestoneskafest.co.uk