It’s in the Bag Cancer Support are excited to announce that ToneFM are to become the official radio partner of Test Fest Music Festival 2023, which is taking place on Saturday June 17th at Taunton Rugby Club.
Event organisers It’s in the Bag Cancer Support are very different to the normal music festival scene, as their aim is to raise awareness and not money. The festival is in its 5th year and aims to be bigger and better than ever before and having the support of ToneFM will definitely be a very positive move.
Test Fest is a music festival with a message – the only one of its kind in the UK and maybe the world! Most testicular cancer awareness campaigns focus on sport, colleges, universities and workplaces. However, stats reveal that young men are the largest group of attendees at music festivals, so why not focus on music to encourage awareness. The charity could attend other events and raise awareness, however the voluntary base of the charity prevents this, so the team said let’s organise our own festival.
Charity founder and event organiser Sue Brand says:
Having met with ToneFM, we agreed the partnership fitted well with what the charity is aiming to achieve with the music festival. It is very much about community and reaching out to people in Somerset and surrounding area. We look forward to working with the team at ToneFM and we encourage people to listen out for interviews and maybe a few free tickets!
The aim of the event is to encourage people to attend from all over the South West of England and do like at any other festival, watch bands, eat, drink, catch up with friends and have a good time. The team in the background talk about the importance of self-checking, sell merchandise with our messages on them and talk to attendees about what the charity does and how it helps. By the end of the day, there are many wearing our T-shirts and bright orange pants on the outside.
Test Fest also has another purpose that became apparent during the event last year. Many survivors and their families attend and catch up with those who have had treatment, just diagnosed and still receiving treatment. This is like a mini Testicular Cancer family and seeing those great conversations is great to see happening at the event.
Most of the bands donate their performance to the charity or play at a very reduced rate. We are also supported by our patrons: Downsy – MC/Compare; Nutty Noah – Family Entertainer and Dixon Does Doodles – images design.
Testicular Cancer is the most common cancer in young men, so to get young people involved in the festival we will also be hosting bands from Richard Huish College, alongside an art project with Taunton and Bridgwater College.
Headliners for 2023 are the Stereosonics (Stereophonics Tribute) supported by much loved local bands Filta and The Jamestown Brothers.
In The Bag aims are to support men at diagnosis and during treatment, whilst also raising awareness to encourage early detection and celebrate the 98% survival rate from Penzance to Worcester.
This fun filled festival is definitely the place to be, and you can now also make it a weekend by camping for two nights. Tickets on sale Now! https://www.tickettailor.com/events/itsinthebagcancersupport/733209
