FROM humble beginnings to drawing huge crowds, the Brentwood Festival has retained its original values of being a community event which everyone can enjoy.
Jason Jopson, 45, has been running the festival since 2006 when he took over the White Horse pub in Coxtie Green Road.
The Pilgrims Hatch resident, who owns the pub and also runs the Brentwood Brewing Company, is looking forward to this year's festival on July 5, 6 and 7 and spoke to go! about his experiences organising the popular weekend of music.
Mr Jopson said: "The festival itself has been running for over 20 years.
"It wasn't going to run when I took the pub over which I thought was a shame so I decided to hold it myself – I only had a few weeks to organise it."
Since then the festival has grown and grown, to the extent that in 2010 it moved venue from the pub to the Brentwood Centre to house the growing demand.
Mr Jopson explained that the pub itself still holds its own smaller festivals, one in May over the bank holiday weekend and one in September.
He told go! how organising the festival has changed since it moved to the larger venue in Doddinghurst Road: "In many ways it's become easier because we have so much space – before we had problems with security, space and parking.
"In fact, one year we had to close off the pub on the Saturday night of the festival at 6pm because it had got so busy – that shows just how successful it became."
Talking about organising the festival over the years, he said: "It's fantastic, I get a great deal of satisfaction seeing everyone enjoying themselves and giving money to great causes."
This year the festival supports Help for Heroes and at least £10,000 will be donated to the charity.
Over the years the event has seen mixed weather and there have been some wet weekends.
"But the weather hasn't stopped people – they were dancing in the rain and sliding in the mud so it didn't bother them," Mr Jopson added.
"The festival costs just £10 a day and we want to keep it at a reasonable price so that all of Brentwood can come together. The fact that children under 10 are free of charge keeps it a family event."
"I love the atmosphere of a festival and wanted to keep the feel of a big reunion."
The hard work for each festival starts even before the previous event has happened. Mr Jopson explained that the work can take its toll so he tries to go away for a few days before the festival and this year he is heading up to Scotland to go salmon fishing.
He is part of an eight-strong team who put together the weekend event and said: "We do an amazing job considering the amount of people we do have coming.
"I work alongside my best friend Martin Dansey and my friends and family as well as Laurie Edmonds and Robert Dicker. Robert has been a great help."
Chas & Dave, From The Jam and Loveable Rogues are headlining this year's Brentwood Festival.
For tickets and more information on the festival visit www.brentwoodfestival.co.uk
