Got to go to this! Uke festival!

Ukulele Festival of Great Britain heads for Cheltenham

Frank Skinner is one of many celebs who have learnt to play the ukulele Cheltenham is to be the home of the first ever Ukulele Festival of Great Britain. The weekend in June will feature top ukulele talent from this country, Europe and America. There will also be workshops for adults and for children, jam sessions, mass busking, a cabaret/open mic night, stalls, raffle and more. The ukulele has risen in popularity with the likes of Frank Skinner and Harry Hill learning the instrument. "It has been put together by four of us ukulele fans," said Phil Collins. "We all play the ukulele and we all live in Cheltenham so we thought what better town to put on yet another festival." Organisers are hoping to sell 600 tickets for the main event in Cheltenham Town Hall on Sunday, 20 June, 2010. Phil puts the ukulele's surge in popularity down to the internet and celebrities learning to play it. "We have a guy in our group who taught Harry Hill to play and of course Frank Skinner and Phill Jupitus play the ukulele," added Phil. "It's mainly comedians that play it because it's such a fun little instrument." The Ukulele Festival of Great Britain takes place in Cheltenham on June 19th and 20th, 2010. For more information, please visit theofficial website.