Oxjam Takeover Mansfield.

Oxjam is coming to Mansfield this October, with plans for the UK's biggest festival line up to grace the town, next weekend. We caught up with Emma Stringfellow, one of the key promoters of the festival to find out more about what to expect, and how you can get involved. What can visitors expect at Mansfield Oxjam next weekend? I think visitors can expect a little bit of everything really! We've got some great cover artists, folk, original acoustic acts - I honestly think we've got something to suit every musical taste. We have a dedicated under 18s venue at the newly refurbished My Place at The Folkhouse, which I'm really looking forward too because we're showcasing under 18s local talent. There's also going to be a selection of street performers in the Market Place and Butter Cross Square during the day of  the Take Over to add to the party atmosphere and provide a bit of family fun for the shoppers! Obviously there will be some fun fundraising activities at all the venues and a raffle with some top prized donated by local business. How can people get involved? Anyone that wants to get involved as a volunteer should email info@oxjammansfield.co.uk with their availability and how they would like to help and some one will get back to you. All volunteers will be given a wristband for the festival and so can enjoy the event for free! If there are any local businesses that would like to donate any prizes for the raffle, or want to help fundraise by having an office bake sale or dress down day for example, they can email me on emma@oxjammansfield.co.uk for information on how to get involved. Lastly, anyone can get involved by simply coming to the event! Tickets are on sale at Forever Young Fancy Dress, The Shabby Hut and Music Scene as well as online at We Got Tickets or you could just pop down to Mansfield on the day and we'll be selling tickets at various locations. What are you most looking forward to? I think I'm most looking forward to is seeing The Bluebeat Arkestra performing at The Intake club as part of their ambitious Oxjam Tour. After they play at our Takeover they are heading back down to Birmingham to play at the Oxjam Birmingham Takeover, and the following week they are playing at four different Takeover locations in one day! So I would love for them to get a great crowd and a warm welcome from Mansfield. What will the money raised be used for? Everyone involved with the Oxjam Mansfield  Takeover are volunteers and have been supported by local businesses lending equipment and venues for free, so every single penny raised will go directly to Oxfam. At least 81p from every £1 donated will go directly on helping some of the worlds poorest communities, providing aid in emergencies and campaigning to for change. Our target of £3000 could be used to buy 22 bicycle ambulances. Which acts are the ones to watch? With over 30 acts playing at the Takeover, I can't chose between them as my ones to watch!  I think they're all brilliant for playing for free to help raise money for this wonderful cause! What else can people enjoy in Mansfield if they were to make a full day of it? Our sponsors, Mansfield Town Football Club, have a home match that day so people can go and cheer the stags on and then (hopefully) celebrate a win later on by coming out to one of the Takeover venues. There will be entertainment until around 2am so I would say that people should definitely get something to eat if they are planning on enjoying a few drinks, one of my favourite places to eat in the town centre is Lucy's cafe; the specials board is always good and the size of the cake portions are always generous! BBs Italian restaurant is fantastic value for money and is close to The Ramme which is one of the Takeover venues. I'm afraid I'm going to use the c word now, but I'm a strong believer of starting Christmas shopping early. There are so many amazing local businesses in Mansfield town centre where  you can grab some unique Christmas gifts and then have a break and enjoy some live local music at one of the Takeover venues in the town centre. Stage coach buses are very kindly allowing people with Oxjam wristbands to ride on selected routes for free so that people that want to spend the day in the town centre and then go to The Intake in the evening can save their legs for dancing! You can find more about the Oxjam Takeover by joining the party on Twitter.