K A L I M B A F E S T I V A L S | T H E S T O R Y S O F A R 1 9 9 3 > 2 01 2
In 1993, Steve Middlesbrough was asked to devise, develop & present the World's 1st Video Beach Party All-nighter, BeachBash 93, on Central Beach, Sentosa Island, Singapore City in South East Asia on Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day 1993.
This terrific event, was to plant the seed for similar festival events in the UK.
Kalimba Events have been staged at various times in the Morecambe Bay area since 1995. Most of them have been absolutely FREE !
Our first rock event, Nightmare Before Halloween, was staged annually at the Morecambe Dome and featured a top Oasis tribute band as well as several local rock & indie acts.
Next came the famous Summerbreeze festival series which ran from 1996 to 1999 and attracted over 130,000 people in total to these free festivals.
Top quality international artists included performances from such stars as Courtney Pine, Edwin Starr, Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley, Leo Sayer, Odyssey, 911, Alison Limerick, Gwen Dickey of Rose Royce, Clock, Alexander O'Neal, Geno Washington, Cleopatra, Pasadenas & the Real Thing supported by dozens of local artists who all thoroughly enjoyed the unique experience of working with these famous chart names
Country Kickback 2000 attracted 9,000 people over the 4 day Spring Bank Holiday period to see over a dozen top UK country acts plus top tributes to the Eagles & Shania Twain.
Since then many other differing events for music fans have emerged from Kalimba. In 2001 ClubZero was successfully started for under 16's to let off steam to their favourite pop tracks.
Also in 2001 Solar, the monthly up front dance night, began to play to packed venues with DJs from all over the country.
Club Tropicana, The Disco Ball, Fab, Sold On Soul & We Luv all soon followed for fans of 80s, disco, 60s, soul & 70s as did Motown Magic for fans of the legendary Detroit label.
In 2002 the Z fest featured S Club 7 & Steps tribute bands in front of an audience of hundreds of excited young teenage ClubZero fans.
Soul AM began in 2004 for Northern Soul & Motown fans and featured top Wigan Casino DJs in it's monthly line-up. Planet Disco was held in early 2005 at Lancaster's Liquid nightclub and helped raise over £500 for the South-East Asian Tsunami appeal.
Kalimba was proud to be awarded the MBHC Outstanding Entertainment Award in this year.
Due to the lack of events and visitors in the Bay area, in 2010 we were asked by the new Festivals Committee of the equally new Morecambe Town Council to introduce what became the Morecambe Live summer series of weekend events for local people and visitors to the area.
In 2011 due to its popularity with its many varied audiences and other sponsors such as the Arndale Centre, PlasTech & Pinocchios this series evolved into the even bigger Morecambe Live Top 20 and filled twenty non-stop weeks of festivals of all genres into the town adding Key Loco, Disco Inferno, BeatlesDay , Caribbean Calypso, Iconic & Worldfolk to the season along with great events from other local event producers. Amazingly, there were a staggering 32 great events during the Top 20 weeks in 2011 !
Morecambe Live Weekender, Country Kickback, Parklife, BluesWater, Morecambe Jazz, Motown Magic & Beachbash 60s, 70s & 80s are now regular Series events in Morecambe .
Annually, they attract tens of thousands of people into the resort each year to have a great time.
As 2012 arrives we get ready to roll again !
WATCH THIS SPACE !