A free family music festival will be held in Ross-on-Wye over the bank holiday weekend. On August 27th and 28th, at Ross Rugby Ground in Greytree, live bands will play throughout the two days, and a rugby match will be held on Sunday. There will also be funfair rides, and food and drink will be available all weekend.

The event has been organised in memory of Ollie Floyd, a 20-year-old man from Ross, who was a popular member of the Rugby Club. He died in March 2015.

The festival has been organised by some of Ollie’s good friends, Gavin Oates, Wayne Oates, and Sally Annelise Ballinger, along with many other volunteers. In the festival programme, they described Ollie. They wrote: “He was always smiling, never sad, and he was the life and soul of any party, who would light up any room.

“He was a brother among brothers in the Ross Rugby team who is sorely missed and always will be.

“With such shock and sadness of Ollie’s death, the feeling amongst the rugby family was that we all wanted to join together to do something to keep his memory alive.”

The festival does have free entry, but any donations raised will be given to charity. This year, there are two charities which will benefit from Smile Fest. The Ross-on-Wye based charity, Rocky-Lee’s Little Feet, which provides support to bereaved parents, by providing financial relief to those who cannot afford a memorial headstone for stillborn babies.

The other charity, Winston’s Wish, helps bereaved children. The death of a parent or sibling is one of the most fundamental losses a child will ever face. At Winston’s Wish, they believe that bereaved children need support to make sense of death and rebuild their lives – and that is why they exist.

The event organisers hope to raise a significant amount of money to help these charities, and they would love to see lots of Ross-on-Wye residents enjoying a family fun weekend to keep Ollie’s memory alive.

Gavin Oates, one of the organisers, told the Ross Gazette that he wanted to thank the local businesses who have sponsored the festival. He said that in doing so, these businesses have ensured the Smile Fest can be free. He added that all donations made during the weekend will also be greatly appreciated.

On Sunday, August 28th, after the headline act, Rhapsody Queen finish their set, a professional fireworks display will be held, to finish off the festival with a bang!For more information about Smile Fest, pick up this week's edition of the Ross Gazette.