JACKfm collaborates with leading festivals and venues to deliver JACKfm’s JACKfest: a virtual festival showcasing Oxfordshire’s finest talents

•    JACKfm has collaborated with venues and festivals including The Wychwood Festival, The Witney Music Festival, The O2 Academy Oxford and The Bullingdon Club to deliver JACKfm’s JACKfest – a virtual festival including arts, crafts, food and drink tastings, cooking classes and performances from some of the county’s best musical acts;

•    Oxfordshire-based artists and DJs including Friend Within, The Divine Comedy, The Christians, Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), John Coghlan’s Quo, Lewis Watson, Little Brother Eli and Timmy Mallet have signed up to entertain revellers LIVE on Facebook;

•    JACKfm’s JACKfest takes place from 3pm to 9pm on Friday 19 June, with funds raised from the event going to Ronald McDonald House Charity in Oxford – join in at Facebook.com/JACKfm.  

18 June 2020, Oxford: Oxfordshire radio station JACKfm, the most awarded local commercial radio station in UK radio history, has announced that it will host a live, virtual festival tomorrow (Friday 19 June 2020). JACKfm’s JACKfest has been established as a result of a collaboration with some of the county’s most renowned festivals and venues, including The Wychwood Festival, The Witney Music Festival, The O2 Academy Oxford and The Bullingdon Club*, who have joined forces with JACKfm to help plug the gap left by the cancellation of the region’s live events. 

The virtual festival will bring audiences a fun-packed afternoon of festival-themed entertainment, including arts, crafts, cooking classes and live musical performances from a variety of Oxfordshire-based acts, including Friend Within, The Divine Comedy, The Christians, Tom Hingley (Inspiral Carpets), John Coghlan’s Quo, Lewis Watson, Little Brother Eli and Timmy Mallet. It will be hosted by the presenters of JACKfm’s much-loved breakfast show, Trevor Marshall and Rich Smith, and will take place from 3pm tomorrow (Friday 19 June) via Facebook Live. Audiences can join at Facebook.com/JACKfm. 

As a result of the global pandemic, festivals and events across Oxfordshire – and across the country – have had to cancel, leaving acts bereft and fans with limited cultural activities to enjoy across the summer. Securing the support of some of Oxfordshire’s leading performance venues and festivals, JACKfm decided to create a virtual festival, working with these venues and festivals to recruit acts from across the county to perform. The request has resulted in more than 60 acts signing up to be a part of JACKfm’s JACKfest, creating an occasion that will celebrate some of the best talent from across the region. Sponsors include Sky Wave Gin, which will also host a special gin tasting; BurnOut BBQ; and Abingdon & Witney College, who will host a crafts session. 

Trevor Marshall, presenter of JACKfm Breakfast Show JACK’s Morning Glory, said: “This is a strange old summer without the presence of live festivals, so we wanted to create something that continues to keep the spirits up for the people of Oxfordshire and beyond. JACKfm’s JACKfest is a virtual festival that is going to offer acts and revellers an opportunity to let their hair down and be a part of some of the best entertainment that Oxfordshire has to offer.” 

In an extra twist, JACKfm will also invite festival-goers to join a ‘virtual room’ on Zoom, which will allow them to watch the live entertainment alongside other guests, sharing in the experience together. Further details on this will be released during the event. JACKfm’s JACKfest will raise funds for Oxford’s Ronald McDonald House Charity, which helps families stay close to their children in hospital by providing ‘home away from home’ accommodation. 

JACKfm’s JACKfest takes place from 3 - 9pm on Friday 19 June 2020, at Facebook.com/JACKfm.