Thanks to local sponsors, the organising team of volunteers behind the annual Crystal Palace Overground Festival (27-30 June) have announced a full programme of events, some of which have sold out already, testimony to the anticipated popularity of this year’s event.

For the third year running, The Acorn Group head up as lead sponsor of the community arts festival, with Crystal Palace businesses Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, The Little Escape, Smash Bang Wallop and The Transmitter as platinum sponsors and Amphlett Lissimore, Bambino and Westow House as gold.

The combined £11,500 sponsorship has enabled the festival team to programme the various festival hubs at Westow Park on 29 June with over 130 acts and artists taking to the park, streets and Upper Norwood venues over the four days.

Noreen Meehan, festival director, said: “It really has been a massive community effort with key support from our local businesses sponsoring the festival. The team are very excited about the biggest festival yet with not just the park event but tons of activities and events happening in the traders’ premises and venues of Upper Norwood.

“The festival strives to support local businesses and their independence – we can deliver visitors to the area throughout the event but without their support it just wouldn’t exist,” she said.

The festival was launched in 2007 by the Crystal Palace Triangle traders and has gone from strength to strength after its expansion to Westow Park three years ago.

Festival organisers hope to attract over 6,000 people, up 20% on last year.

“We feel strongly about supporting our local community and promoting everything our area has to offer so are delighted to again be the lead sponsor of the event,” said the Acorn Groups operations manager, Laura House.

“We’ve got lots in store this year, including the world’s smallest car, giveaways, games and cakes – we’re delighted to be a part of it.”

Despite being a relatively new business in Crystal Palace this is The Little Escape’s second year of being a festival sponsor.

"We jumped at the chance to sponsor the holistic zone as it's such a fantastic event that gets the whole area involved, we're really happy to support this," said acupuncturist and business owner Lilja Katanka.

“We'll be offering taster treatments of chair massage and Indian head massage, which are festival favourites, Shiatsu stretches and sleep and relaxation workshops, a free Sound Bath session, mini reflexology and facial tasters."

The festival will feature the best in live music, spoken word, performing arts, comedy, art, food and shopping around the Upper Norwood area, with events leading up to and during the main event itself. Local bars will host gigs and DJs, foodie events, and there will be a tea dance, football skills workshop for children, an arts and crafts market, an open air cinema, and vintage and antique shopping.

“I see the festival as being one of a growing number of cultural reference points that help people feel a part of something,” says The Transmitter editor Andy Pontin, who has supported the festival since it started in 2007.

“We’re sponsoring the Performing Arts Tent, which will be showcasing an eclectic mix of local talent and oddities, just like the magazine really!"

Gold sponsor and former festival organiser Andy Stem who runs the vintage eclectic shop Bambino’s on Church Road said: “I love being involved with the festival, it’s a brilliant way to get everyone together from musicians to artists to local businesses.

“As a local business it’s an honour and a privilege to support it as I feel there is a need to put back into the community. It also brings a lot of new people to Crystal Palace, who fall in love with it too.”

The festival aims to support everything local in Crystal Palace while bringing artistic excellence to the audience with almost all the events free to attend.

The festival relies on the sponsorship, goodwill and support of the local community, marketing support from London Overground, support from the Crystal Palace Chamber of Commerce and sponsorship from local businesses.

Local people can support the festival by volunteering their time to the event, visit www.crystalpalacefestival.org/volunteer to get involved. For the full festival line-up and programme of events, visit www.crystalpalacefestival.org.

Based on information supplied by Carol Ann Walters.