Olly Murs and Jimy Cliff are the first artists announced for this years Guilfest

Singer-songwriter, musician, TV Presenter and X factor finalist Olly Murs is no stranger to success.  Despite being early in his musical career, he can already lay claim to four number 1 singles and two wildly popular albums!  His fabulous self-titled 2010 debut which featured the huge number 1 single “Please Don’t Let Me Go” entered the UK chart at number 2, going double platinum and selling over 600,000 copies! 2011’s “In Case You Didn’t Know” even exceeded this, debuting at number 1 in the UK album charts, again achieving double platinum status and spawning the fantastic number one singles “Heart Skips a Beat” and “Dance With Me Tonight”.

Winner of “Best Male Artist” at the BT Digital Awards and “Best Album” at the BBC Radio 1 teen awards, Olly Murs is also no stranger to enormous stadium shows, having performed at venues such as the 02 Arena in London and Cardiff International Arena.  His live performances are already the stuff of legends, and a headline show at GuilFest will clearly be no exception.  Roll on July!

Confirmed for this year’s festival as well is the Jamaican reggae legend, Jimmy Cliff!  Jimmy will also be performing on the Main Stage on Saturday 14th July.  Best known for his original songs, “Sitting in Limbo”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want”, and “Many Rivers to Cross”-  as well as his definitive cover versions of Cat Steven’s “Wild World” and Johnny Nash’s “I can see clearly now” (from the hit film Cool Runnings) Jimmy is currently the only living musician to hold the Order Of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences. 

Inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, Jimmy Cliff’s extensive career spans half a century! During this time he has recorded an unbelievable 29 albums, with countless performances all over the globe and collaborations with artists ranging from the Rolling Stones and Elvis Costello to Annie Lennox.  This will be his second appearance at GuilFest, and after his incredibly well received show in 2007 this is guaranteed to be an amazing performance!

GuilFest 2012 takes place over the weekend of July 13th, 14th and 15th and will feature a massive 8 stages of live music – boasting a total of over 200 amazing acts! The festival has been consistently voted as one of the UK’s top family festivals, and is known throughout the land for its fantastically eclectic line ups and wonderfully laid back atmosphere.  For 2012’s festival you can expect the return of famous stages such as the Rock Cave, the Dance Tent, the Punk Stage, and the Acoustic Lounge.

And it’s not just about the music; all around the site you can find great attractions such as the hilarious Cosmic Comedy Zone, Man in the Moon Theatre tent, Farmer Giles Barndance, street theatre, delicious food and drink from around the world, enormous 150ft bar, cocktail bars and much more besides.  For the younger guests there is the exciting Kidzone, an area totally devoted to fun and games with performers, rides, face painting, and even VIP guest appearances!  Last year’s festival featured children’s icons Peppa Pig and Bob The Builder!

If you fancy a dip or a shower, right next door is Guildford Lido – a 50m outdoor swimming pool set in beautiful park lands, and Guildford Spectrum, a fully featured leisure centre with indoor swimming pools, ice rink, bowling alleys and lots more.

GuilFest really is the perfect way to enjoy 3 days of great entertainment, food, sunshine and laughter this July. Tickets on sale HERE