It's a great moment for recognition of Carlisle's cultural output as a city music festival is crowned the UK's Blues Festival of the Year.
Carlisle's Blues Rock Festival was cream of the crop at the 2022 UKBlues Awards event, that took place on May 15 at The Powerhaus, in London.
Organiser, Nick Westgarth, said he was delighted to receive the award from rock legend, Del Bromham.
"It's really pleasing to win, I've been running it since 2007 and it's been nominated several times but this is the first time I've won it - it's the top award in the UK blues scene, so I'm really pleased," he said.
READ MORE: 'Rare' tree discovery at Deer Park to be cut down and re-gifted
It's really went full circle for the festival considering in 2019 it looked as if the show would not got on.
"2019 was going to be the last year of the festival just because it got too expensive to run the event at the scale it was at. But a couple of businessmen who had been at the festival approached me to say they didn't want it to end and what could they do to help keep it going.
"Individually they came up with sponsorships which has kept it going at the same scale," he said.
The music-spectacular is set to return this October for a three-day weekend festival and will bring with it a plethora of international artists to the stage.
"This year is on-track, tickets are selling better than they ever have.
"We're six months away and we've already sold 80 per cent of the tickets - which is way ahead of were the festival would be normally - it's kind of come of age, I suppose.
"I think it's a mixture of word of mouth and the quality we have on offer for that particular weekend is what is driving the ticket sales.
Nick said the city should be holding more events like this of different genres, but "culturally, the city is not maintaining the level it should be".
This years event will be bringing with it another cram-packed schedule back to the Crown & Mitre Hotel, including performances from Billy Walton Band, Sari Schorr and "probably the best blues band in the UK", The Cinelli Brothers to name a select few.
Tickets are available via www.carlislebluesfestival.com/tickets/.
READ MORE: Newcastle Falcons' Cumbrian Jamie Blamire gets England call-up from Eddie Jones
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here