THERE were celebrations aplenty for a popular Worcestershire festival that walked away as award winners from a UK awards ceremony.

The Upton Blues Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Upton Upon Severn.

Each year crowds flock to listen to an array of music acts in the riverside town, which has been running for over two decades.

The festival was nominated for the UK Blues best festival of the year at Thursday's running of the UK Blues Awards 2024 in Milton Keynes.

Among the five nominees, Upton Blues Festival came out on top to rack up their second straight win in the category.

Grahame Bunn, Upton Blues Festival director, said: "We won the award back in 2018 then we missed out the following year and then Covid stopped everything.

"We won again in 2023 and have done again this year, so it's amazing to be recognised.

"There are around 50 festivals that are shortlisted before that is rounded down to five nominees, so it's a massive achievement."

Mr Bunn said the team of organisers were thrilled to have come away with the award that he put down to a "massive team effort".

"They are chuffed about it," he said.

"To be honest, I didn't think we was going to win this year.

"It was a massive surprise but it's nice to get it."

The Upton Blues Festival first ran in 2002 and has continued ever since.

One of the unique selling points of the festival is that it is free, with hundreds rocking up to Upton each year for the event.

"We have up to 160 music gigs over the weekend," said Mr Bunn.

"We provide a campsite for visitors, which they have to pay to use, and watch loads of music acts.

"It's grown from its original year, I have been involved since then.

"It's a massive festival. The high street is completely closed during the festival and all of the pubs get involved.

"We have managed to survive all these years because there is something for everyone."

This year's Upton Blues Festival will be held from July 17-22, with all the bands locked in for the event.

A gospel choir, Voices Unlimited, will kick off the festival, which will welcome an array of acts from Big Smoke and Blue Nation, to Southern Fried Groove Queens and the Greg Brice Trio.