More than 3,000 tickets already sold for Blackpool International Soul Festival

The keenly-anticipated mass gathering happens at the resort's Winter Gardens from June 14 to 16.

And with more than 3,000 tickets already sold, there were just a couple of hundred left at the time of writing.

The fourth soul festival will feature live shows from artists including Brenda Holloway, Eddie Holman, Ronnie McNeir, Phillip Mitchell, Randy Brown and HB Barnum.

There will be six rooms of amazing soul music featuring sounds from the heyday of the Twisted Wheel, Blackpool Mecca and Wigan Casino to current "monster" tunes.

Organiser Richard Searling, a broadcaster and former Wigan Casino DJ, said: "We have sold just over 3,000 tickets now with around 250 remaining.

"It should be a fantastic weekend.

"We have also sorted the line up for 2020, to be announced at this year’s event."

Northern Soul still has a mass following in this country and overseas.

The rare, uptempo music based largely on the 60's Motown beat was championed in the North in the 1960s and led to the emergence of legendary venues like the Highland Room at Blackpool Mecca and all-nighters at Manchester's Twisted Wheel. The Torch in Stoke on Trent and Wigan Casino,

Reunions and weekenders take place all over the UK and the crowd will be travelling from far and wide to this year's International Soul Festival.

Bolton-based Richard, along with Kev Roberts and Goldsoul also founded the enormously popular Blackpool Tower weekenders.

For tickets, priced at £60 for a three-day pass, go to www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk.