More than 15,000 spectators turn up for return of Mutiny Festival in Portsmouth

THOUSANDS of revellers packed out Portsmouth and made Mutiny Festival 2016 one to remember.
The Mutiny Festival crowd assembles in font of the main stage to listen and dance to Sister Bliss.

Picture: Keith Woodland (160796-0304)The Mutiny Festival crowd assembles in font of the main stage to listen and dance to Sister Bliss.

Picture: Keith Woodland (160796-0304)
The Mutiny Festival crowd assembles in font of the main stage to listen and dance to Sister Bliss. Picture: Keith Woodland (160796-0304)

The music festival returned to the city over the weekend with a star-studded line-up that included CeeLo Green, DJ Pete Tong, Groove Armada, Example and Steve Angello of Swedish House Mafia.

Luckily, the rain held off and sun shone and more than 15,000 people enjoyed the event on both days.

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Organiser Luke Betts said: ‘It’s been a really nice and friendly event. We had some really big names play and more than 6,000 people came through the gates by 3pm on Saturday. It’s been great.’

The festival is in its third year, starting in 2013 in Victoria Park in Portsmouth, and then last year at Fontwell Race Course, near Chichester.

Its return comes after King George V playing fields hosted the Summer Show just last month, with Victorious Festival in Southsea set to be the biggest and best yet this August.

Councillor Donna Jones, leader of Portsmouth City Council, hailed the return of Mutiny and praised its organisation.

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She said: ‘The city has supported several large-scale music events over the past few years.

‘We have seen the likes of Mutiny and Victorious go from strength to strength.

‘This festival has given people in Portsmouth, particularly in the north of the city, something great to do. Having it in the north meant the traffic flowed freely. It was well-managed and well-run.’

Members of the Rotary Club of Southsea Castle were on hand to direct traffic and manage the car parking, which was at 1000 Lakeside. Every £5 parking charge went to the club’s charities.

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Another good cause to benefit from the festival was Football For Cancer, a Portsmouth charity that organises an event to raise money to help fight cancer.

It was started by Raymond Ogilvie, in 2008 after he lost close friends and family to cancer.

The charity held a goal competition over the two days to raise cash.

Raymond, from Buckland, said: ‘We are a small charity and we are very lucky to have the support of Mutiny. The support and the festival has been brilliant.’

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Many local businesses were involved in the event, which also employed around 200 people, giving a welcome boost to the economy.

Stalls at the event included Flip Out from North Harbour, Waterworn from Bitterne, Melted from Hilsea, and Green Mango Natural Salon from Portsea, plus many more. Ridgeway BMW were the main sponsors, and it had Mutiny-branded Smart cars as well as competitions.

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