A FUN festival full of local musical talent is taking place in Jaywick next month. 

Clacton Arts Centre is staging Winter Fest on November 30, from 12noon to 5pm, after securing funding for the community event. 

The line-up includes Armoured Man, The Djangoliers, Sarah Holburn, PDA and James Broomfield who will all be performing at the Sunspot, in Jaywick.

David Brown, one of the founders of Clacton Arts Centre, said: "We have local creatives setting up stalls and we're excited to announce that Ambition Café will be selling great coffee from their converted horse box.

"I have always believed that modern-day Clacton needs more live music.

"I recall the bygone era when Clacton was bustling with dance halls, pirate radio and the Band Pavilion.

"The pavilion frequently featured renowned bands such as Ray Connie, Ted Heath and Mantovani, attracting crowds of 3,000."

David says Winter Fest is a celebration of last year's hard work.

The artists booked have been featured in the Martello Showcase or other events the art centre has organised.

For more than a year, Clacton Arts Centre has been running live music events at the Martello Lounge on the seafront and has been featuring local and established artists for free to the public on a monthly basis.

When David was a child, Clacton had dozens of music venues, including the Rocking Horse and Oscars, but today it is becoming harder for venues to stay open.

Fortunately, creative community groups seem to be taking up the torch.

In the last few months, the Art Centre has opened a pop-up art gallery showcasing talented local artists.

Free creative workshops are also on offer and the gallery regularly hosts open mic events.