Rebranded and renamed the Southport Weekender Day festival returned as Beautiful People Festival in Morden Park on Saturday, 4 September 2021. Owing to the Southport Weekender Festival making a long-awaited return in March 2022, after a seven-year hiatus, the organisers thought the rebranding necessary to avoid confusion between the two. After attending the newly named Beautiful People Festival, I concur that the people in attendance were indeed beautiful, and it couldn’t be more aptly named. The festival was, in fact, an all-round beauty which consisted of beautiful people, beautiful music and beautiful vibes.
The brand began in 1987 with the legendary Southport Weekenders in Pontins. It now, as well as hosting the Beautiful People day festival annually in London, also hosts a week-long well-established boutique festival event in Croatia (SuncéBeat) and will be returning shortly with the traditional Weekenders at Butlins in Bognor Regis.
Whether it be SuncéBeat, Southport Weekender or Beautiful People Festival, you are guaranteed a good time at all. Each is skillfully put together to take you on a musical journey from past to present. The crowd is hugely varied, and no one is out of place. Everyone is friendly and, many in repeat attendance with a mutual love of music, out to do nothing more than have a good time.
Where is it?
This is the third year for the day festival, and previous years have seen it hosted at Finsbury Park and Crystal Palace. I guess we have to wait and see whether Morden Park is now its permanent home. Although it meant me trekking into the deep south of London (wow, I really have become a Londoner😂) to get to the Beautiful People Festival, Morden Park is a decent venue and seems pretty well suited to the size of the event.
Musical Genres
Kicking off from 12.00 pm until 10.00 pm, you can expect a well-curated mix of DJs and live acts covering genres such as US/Afro/Deep & Soulful House, Disco, Soul, UK Garage, RnB, Drum & Bass, Reggae and Hip Hop.
This year’s line-up included but was not limited to Basement Jaxx, Grandmaster Flash, Todd Humphries, Joe Claussel, DJ Spen, David Rodigan, DJ Spoony, Jumpin Jack Frost, Sy Sez, Souldynamic, Hyenah, DJeff, Minco – the list goes on, and on. Live acts included Inner City, the British Collective Godfathers of British Soul – Omar, Noel McCoy, Junior Giscombe and Donnee.
Disappointingly, but understandably, given the current travel restrictions, some acts, billed since 2020, could no longer attend. These were Arrested Development, Black Motion, Louie Vega, Anané Vega and Kenny Dope. All of these were acts I very much wanted to see, but it did not stop me or, by the looks of it, anyone else from having a good time.
So what’s it saying then?
From the off, the atmosphere was friendly and buzzing with a load of excitable overgrown kids at a party, with fairground rides to boot. Many people were reunited with their festival friends and embraced the time to forget about the bore of reality for a while. Being spoilt for musical choice, you could find that you were never in one place for too long, and it could be hard work trying to fit in all of your favourite acts.
The weather, which can often be uncertain in the UK, held out well, with mild temperatures and, most importantly, no rain. Though there was no sunshine, we certainly brought our own, and if you still weren’t warm enough, the host of DJs and live performers most definitely brought the heat.
Some of my favourites
Upon entry, my first stop was the Mi-Soul tent to catch Sy Sez, who never fails to miss. In the SuncéBeat tent, it was an Afro-House affair and Minco, representing the females and celebrating her birthday, raised the vibration with her Goddess energy and brought pure fire. Add to that Hyenah and the fabulous, ever-smiling DJeff to close.
Jumpin Jack Frost & Bailey took the junglists on a journey, and Spoony spooned up some magic on a Garage tip and more. Souldynamic, Italy’s finest, had the VIP tent rocking. Deep Into Soul, which is always a popular choice, had Neil, Pierce, Tony Humphries and Joe Claussel serving up delights. The night ended with the veteran that is Rodigan for the reggae/bashment lovers in the Funkbase Arena and DJ Spen treating the VIPs. I was worn out by the end of it. It is impossible to be everywhere, but I still tried 🤣). One thing’s for sure, though whatever you’re preferred genre, the DJs and live acts were sure to deliver.
Drinks were reasonably priced, and there was a selection of street food to refuel or soak up the alcohol.
Conclusion
It’s been a crazy couple of years, and this was my first festival on “home turf” since September 2019, although it felt like no time had passed at all and brought the festival season to a close “beautifully”. I look forward to next year, which I’m sure will come even bigger and better!
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