By Rachael Grealish

Get ready to get your groove on as Björn Again, Boney M and The Real Thing have all been billed to close up the Whitehaven Alive Festival 2023.

It was confirmed today, May 17, the Björn Again show will be joined by disco legends Boney M, The Real Thing and Geno Washington on Sunday, September 10,  at the Mitie Main Stage as the West Cumbrian festival returns for the second time and organisers promise it’s ‘shaping up to be the event of the year’ and an ‘unforgettable weekend’.

The Internationally acclaimed BJÖRN AGAIN show was founded in 1988 in Melbourne, Australia. The show was designed as a rocked-up light-hearted ABBA satire, and the show rapidly achieved worldwide cult status. ABBA’s enduring appeal is reflected in Björn Again’s ongoing success having amassed 5,500 performances in 75 countries in 35 years. 

Some may remember Boney M and Maizie Williams for their iconic 70s hits – if not you certainly will have caught a line or two of their song ‘Ra-Ra-Rasputin’ as it went viral on TikTok. They will also be celebrating the legendry tracks ‘Rivers Of Babylon’, ‘Daddy Cool’, and ‘Sunny’.

The Real Thing – who enjoyed success in both the 70s and 80s with three top 10 singles, including the number one ‘You To Me Are Everything – will be performing at Whitehaven Alive with original vocalists Chris Amoo and Dave Smith. 

Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band are an England-based soul band. The band’s album Hand Clappin, Foot Stompin, Funky-Butt … Live! reached No.5 on the UK Albums Chart in 1966, and their Hipster Flipsters Finger Poppin’ Daddies achieved number eight the following year, they’ll be opening the Sunday at the festival. 

Founder and Executive Director, Oliver Hodgson said: “We’re delighted to complete our festival line-up with some incredible names for the Sunday concert on the Mitie Main Stage. Whitehaven Alive is shaping up to be the event of the year in West Cumbria. 

“In these challenging times, it’s important to give people something to look forward to, and I firmly believe that Whitehaven Alive will do just that. Prepare yourselves for an electrifying celebration of music, creativity, and the undeniable spirit of Cumbria.”

At the beginning of this year, Oliver went into partnership with the seasoned festival organisers Liz Cannon and Danny Maudling – who for over a decade were part of the organisation behind the Boof Festivals and have now joined the team as executive directors of Alive Entertainment Group.

Danny said: “Absolutely thrilled that we have completed what is going to be a fantastic live arena line-up, which will add to all the other exciting elements of the festival programme.”  

Whitehaven Alive is set to be a huge event for the town with an event village featuring 70 stalls, offering everything from food to artisan candles and cheeses and global brands such as Porsche. The festival will celebrate music, lifestyle, and creativity, and takes place between September 8 and 10.

Promoters also confirmed they’ll be announcing their plans for the major harbourside event village in the coming weeks.

“This year’s line-up is truly sensational and promises to be an unforgettable weekend for music lovers. Not only will this festival be a source of incredible live entertainment, but it will also have a profound impact on the local economy,” Liz added.

“Seeing out the weekend with the Björn Again show, Boney M and The Real Thing is an iconic ending to the festival’s second year.”

Previously Brit icons Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Tinie Tempah were confirmed as Friday night headliners, followed by The Vaccines and Jake Bugg who will hit up the main stage on Saturday evening.

Tickets for the Sunday night harbourside show are available now via www.whitehavenalive.com.