"StagsFest 2025: Local Music Festival Brings Cover Bands to Life"

The sun is shining on a Saturday—a rare sight in the UK, though not so much this year. We've been lucky with the weather lately, and today it sets the stage for a local music festival.

The lineup boasts big names like Taylor Swift, Take That, and even David Bowie. Well, they are tribute acts, of course. So the question is: how good will it all be at our local football club, Mansfield Town?

Being a local music festival, I was pretty sure I would bump into at least one of the many of the local heroes whom I had met over the years of my life. 

StagsFest was set up by local businessman & Stags fan Dean Gregory.  A lively character, and loved by the many. Imagine Peter Pan with a beard. Always buzzing around with the broadest of smiles.

Pulling up to the stadium, you couldn't really see that anything was going on, barring the security and parked cars, until I wound down the window to the parking attendant, and the music was heard. 

Having collected my wristband, I made my way through security, up to the Radford Foundation Marquee, which you had to go through to the festival, through the doors and there it was, Mansfield's own Music Festival. I gazed around at this surreal scene before me, as I was more used to bringing my daughter up to this football pitch for a game!

It didn't take me long before I bumped into some friendly faces, who offered me a classic camping chair to park my bum, soak in the rays and listen to the band, The Usual Suspects. "Well, this is bloody marvellous" I said, in an old English gentleman tone of voice. Well, it was bloody marvellous. The atmosphere felt relaxed & friendly, with lots of smiling faces all round, from kids, to teens, to adults and older. All ages were here on this sunny Saturday afternoon. Having found my space, it was time to peruse the food stalls, & I decided on an Indian curry. Stunning also. Followed by an ice cream, of course.

As Taylor Swift played through her set, the younger generation seemed well into the vibes, to be fair, she was good. Taylor made it shake. Sorry, I don't know any more lyrics...

I had a wander round, bumped into quite a few of the S&B crew (we don't say customers), and just mingled. The vibe was so good.

Next up was Take That, and a suprise appearance from Robbie Williams. Now the whole crowd are going in on the classic pop singalong.

This may all not be your cup of tea, but lets forget the music, lets think of all these people, of all ages, just having a bloody good time.

Im also going to give the staff a shout out here. They were constantly cleaning, dancing and enjoying themselves while working. How rare a sight. Well done to all.

As the afternoon drifted on, with me mingling around various people I knew and the music filling the air, with Pink, followed by Blondie, it was time for David Bowie. Now I had heard that this guy was good. I know Bowie was good, so let's see this tribute. Well, he was truly amazing. As he broke into Heroes, I closed my eyes and it could have been the real deal. The hairs standing on end on my arms told me this. He was truly incredible. Stage presence, vocals & generally talking like him! Incredible.

Now my admission being that I didn't stay till the end! I apologise to myself. I missed Queen. By all accounts, they were outstanding too.

So. My first time at StagsFest. Out of ten? Im giving it a ten. I have been to other festivals of course, but I felt this one. Its local, supported by local business, ran by a local, held at a local club, yet it somehow felt bigger, way more than a local music festival with tribute bands. Maybe it was the sun shining, the happy faces, the friendliness of it all.

Will I go again? 100%. Will I tell everyone all about it? 100% 

I don't have a negative.

As I left, I felt a strange sense of pride. I smiled to myself, & all felt good in the world.

I felt humanity.

P.S - Support local. You may enjoy more than you expect.