THE two-day Wonky Town Festival is set to return to Fort Regent next year – despite concerns that the site would be off limits due to planned refurbishment.
Following the success of this year’s event in August, a spokesperson for the Infrastructure and Environment Department said that subject to planning approval the East Ditch will be developed and therefore not available for a ‘meanwhile use’ during the redevelopment.
The Jersey Development Company added that upon planning consent, responsibility for the entire area will go to the main contractor – which has yet to be announced – with construction due to commence in the first quarter of 2026. Subject to approvals, works on Fort Regent are due to be completed by the end of 2028.
But the festival’s main organiser JP Anquetil yesterday told the JEP that the Wonky Town Festival has received approval to once again host the event at Fort Regent next year and “potentially into the future”.
He added: “After this year’s Wonky Town we feel that we have moved the event on substantially from its beginnings at Howard Davis Park, building it to the point where it is becoming a proper UK style festival albeit with a Jersey flavour.
“As the festival starts to move onto bigger things we feel this is the time to engage with our local community so they can have their say in the direction of the event as we reach this critical point.”
Mr Anquetil is asking Islanders to share their views on Jersey’s music scene as part of a survey which aims to understand what islanders’ preferences, tastes and expectations are for local music events and festivals.
He hopes the feedback gained from responses will provide helpful insight on the local scene and inform decisions when planning future events.
The survey asks what is important to people when deciding whether to attend a festival – such as the headline acts, price expectations for tickets, and VIP experiences or added extras.
It is also an opportunity for respondents to share suggestions and preferences on artists, genres and the days of the week that events and festivals take place.
Mr Anquetil said: “It’s important to us that Islanders help to shape the event as they want to see it grow.
“So much has changed in the festival landscape since Covid particularly with people’s finances, the effects of social media and the urge for young islanders to go off island for entertainment to name a few.
“The survey represents a real opportunity for us to shape the festival in the way that Islanders would like to see it evolve and to invite local creatives to get involved.
Survey respondents also have the option to enter a prize draw on completion, and could could win a pair of VIP tickets to Wonky Town Festival 2026.
