Theme for next year's Love Festival is revealed

On Saturday, hundreds of people basked in the sunshine at Love Festival at Caffyn’s Field in Littlehampton, featuring face painting, circus skills workshops and live music from the area’s top talent. It kicked off the Littlehampton Arts Trail, which runs until July 29.

Staci Mendoza-Quinn from the non-profit organisation Littlehampton’s Organisation Of Community Arts (LOCA), who organised the event, said Love Festival, now in its sixth year, had grown stronger each time.

She said: “The thing that touched me the most throughout the day is how the whole community worked together to bring that day about. Thank you to everyone who came along for making it such a beautiful day.”

Performers on the day included the compere Darren Power, Liz Angioni, Joe Butt and the Wonderboys, exotic dancer Sirona Thorneycroft, the Cookie Jones Jazz Quintet and rock band Hot’N’Sticky.

LOCA also hosted a free Art Chillax area for children to make their own pieces of artwork.

There were also stalls from clubs and charities including Littlehampton Civic Society, Jamie’s Wish, Arun Talks and the Littlehampton Bonfire Society.

The theme of this year’s event was pirates and mermaids – and many dressed for the occasion, with prizes for the best-dressed.

Staci announced the theme for next year’s Love Festival to the Gazette. She said: “Next year, the Love Festival steps back to the future for a Seventies revival.”

The Love Littlehampton Arts Festival continues with the arts trail and the Ukulele Jam of Jams on July 22 from 1pm at the Stage by the Sea, where seasoned ukulele groups compete. Visit facebook.com/laartsweek for details.