ORGANISERS for a popular festival are desperately searching for a second stage after it fell victim to a double booking.

Mappfest, held on Malvern Common, is celebrating its 14th event in 2024 and has introduced a second stage this year, separating the bands and the DJs. There's just one problem - they do not have a physical stage. 

Named after its founder Andy Mapp, the festival will see dozens of bands and DJs perform in front of crowds over two days.

Talia Kepinska, from Warndon in Worcester, is one of the DJs set to play at Mappfest.

She said: "This is the first time we've had two stages.

"It started out as something in the founder's back garden and it just grew from there."

"The stage was double booked," Miss Kepinska explained, "We need a small stage and some steel barriers to keep our DJs safe.

"Otherwise, we will have to stand on the grass and put barriers around us."

With the festival set to begin on Saturday (June 15), the organisers are desperate to find a stage soon. 

This is not the first time Mappfest has been hit with problems. Last year's event was under threat due to the rising costs associated with running the festival.

Despite concerns over the absent equipment, Miss Kepinska, who goes by Talia.K when DJing,  is still hopeful about the weekend and their all-female DJ line-up on Saturday called Birds on Deck'.

 "Having an all-female line-up is something that has never happened before and we're really proud of it."

Talia.K will be joined by six other female DJs on the Saturday, before nine male DJs take over the House Odyssey Arena for the Sunday.

On the main stage, Malvern groove/metal band GrizZleRoot will headline the Saturday session, while eclectic indie band The Creature Appeal will close out the festival on Sunday.

With the addition of the second DJ-specific stage, organisers have been able to increase their line-up from 22 performances in 2023 to 36 in 2024.

Mappfest will be held on Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16.

Entry to the family-friendly festival is free, with any money collected throughout the weekend being donated to Cancer Research, this year's chosen charity.