Portsmouth skinheads to come out in force for party on South Parade Pier

The event on Saturday, September 28, which is being set up by Hampshire Skinhead Association, is aiming to celebrate the spirit of 1969 to mark 50 years of the skinhead movement, as well as raise money for charity.

The festivities will run from 6pm to midnight, and promise live music from artists across the country, including headliners Symarip Pyramid, who last performed in Portsmouth in the 1960s.

Stalls selling both used and new vintage clothing will also feature, as well as a raffle and an auction selling posters and flyers signed by the festival’s line-up.

The proceeds from these activities will go to the Specialized Project for Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Music and Portsmouth’s Tonic Music for Mental Health, as well as the Southampton Doing It For The Kids charity.

One of the organisers, 57-year-old Keith Thripp, has insisted that the event is for everyone and wants to remove the stigma surrounding skinheads.

‘All are welcome’ he said. ‘We just enjoy going out and having a great time’.

The Hampshire Skinhead Association enjoyed one of its most successful charity fundraisers in 2017, when the group hosted a night of music and entertainment at the Dockyard Club in Southsea for around 200 people, but with over 400 tickets already sold for Skinfest, this years event is shaping up to be even bigger.

A small number of tickets are still available – for details look for ‘HSA Skin-fest 2019’ on Facebook.