ORGANISERS of Portishead carnival have named the bands playing on the main stage this year.

Wendy Watkins and Jemma Cooper say they are sticking to local bands.

Jemma said: “This year we want to bring a real village fete-style atmosphere to carnival by having all local acts.”

First up will be The Loafers playing 60s and 70s music with the line up Mike Palomares, Steve Pearson, Paul Carpenter, Dave Hamnett and Andy Davis, who are all heavily involved in Portishead’s music scene, playing in several different bands.

The headliners will be Chess Club Heroes, a five-piece rock covers band made up of ex-members of Bristol act Cars On Fire and Phil Tripp Edwards who was in Portishead group, The Spooks.

Portishead Town Band will be playing its first ever carnival set in the beer tent and they will be preceded by children from the Cheryl Rowlands School of Drama who will be singing the Portishead Song, which was written especially for one of their shows by music teacher and Nailsea mum Lyn Lloyd-Jones .

The carnival on June 14 begins with a procession from the Lake Grounds at noon, followed by fun and entertainment on the carnival field off Clapton Lane.