A pressure group in Spen Valley has joined forces with local musicians to organise the first open air music festival in Green Park, Heckmondwike.

The organisers of the Crown of Lights Free Music Festival are on the lookout for artists from across Yorkshire to take part in the showcase festivals to be held on the last Saturdays of July and August.

Donal O'Driscoll, of campaigning group Vital 4, said he was pleased with the backing he has received from Kirklees Council.

He said: "The music festival is the icing on the cake.

"We want to get a lot of artists interested in this so we can build up our contacts.

"This year we just want to get the festival on the map, but next year we want to be able to hold four concerts, one at the end of May, June, July and August.

"There are a lot of Yorkshire artists who never get the chance to play at some of the bigger festivals and we just want to give them a bit of exposure.

"There is so much talent in Yorkshire, and Heckmondwike is a perfect environment.

"It has this really nice park right in the middle of the town so even if you did not know about the festival and you went into the town, you wouldn't be able to miss it."

John Dorr, a local musician and one of the organisers of the festival, said they were looking for a certain type of musician to play at the festival.

He said: "These are festivals for musicians who don't need to hide behind a wall of noise, who aren't afraid to have every note clearly heard.

"Heckmondwike now provides a perfect open air venue for this after the work the council have done to renovate the park.

"The kind of music I play is experimental stuff, but not in an ear-bleeding kind of way.

"I have a way of looping up my guitar parts and vocals so they layer up on top of each other.

"But that is just one side of it, because I also have a more singer-songwriter, Jeff Buckley side as well.

"Certainly all the other performers are solo artists or duets but each one has something distinctive about them.

"I guess that is what we are looking for - any genre really, so long as it has something a little different about it."

The festival will be followed by a gig at The Royal Hotel, in High Street, Heckmondwike, organised by John.

At the same time as the festival a fringe festival will also be going on in the pubs around the town.

Among the acts confirmed for the event are Ruby and Noah, an acoustic-jazz duo from Huddersfield, Halifax artist Davey H, alternative acoustic duo Isaac and Josh, soloist dboy, as well as John, who's EP, Manna, is due to be released on Monday, July 16.

  • Anyone interested in finding out more about the events, or would like to be considered for performing, e-mail music@vital4.org.uk or text 07786071403.