POCKTOBERFEST is dead, long live the Platform Music & Comedy Festival in Pocklington.

The new event will take place on July 16 to 18 at The Old Station, where for three years Pocktoberfest was staged until a year off last year for a rethink.

Based on the experience and expertise Pocklington Arts Centre gained from co-organising these events, general manager Janet Farmer and assistant manager James Duffy have decided to stage their very own festival, establishing a new identity and brand with the main focus on music and comedy, led by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, comedy turn Al Murray, The Pub Landlord, and folk big band Bellowhead.

The organising committee consists of Pocklington Arts Centre staff and members of the Pock community, and once again the festival will make donations to Help for Heroes, the RNLI and local charities and groups.

Looking ahead to the July event, James Duffy says: “We’re extremely pleased to have secured three fantastic headline acts in five-times Grammy Award winner Mary Chapin Carpenter for July 16, Perrier award-winning comedian Al Murray, The Pub Landlord for July 17 and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners Bellowhead for July 18.

“The line-up reflects the reputation Pocklington Arts Centre has gained within the arts industry since opening in 2000 and highlights the calibre of artists we’re now able to attract to the town.”

Take Mary Chapin Carpenter, for example. “We’ve been huge admirers of Mary’s work for many years now and it is truly an honour to be working with her in July. She has won five Grammy Awards, was named the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year in 1992 and 1993 and in 2012 she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

“Her compositions have been covered by Joan Baez, Cyndi Lauper and Trisha Yearwood and she has collaborated with the likes of Joan Baez, Shawn Colvin, Dolly Parton, the Indigo Girls and Tony Bennett.”

Chapin Carpenter’s support act is yet to be announced; Murray will be joined in The Pub Landlord’s Summer Saloon by special guests Chris Ramsey and Craig Campbell; Bellowhead will headline a Saturday bill also featuring The Magic Numbers, The Shires, Stornoway, David Ford, Buffalo Skinners, The Grand Ole Uke Of York, the Sam Griffiths Band, Barcode Zebra, the Dan Webster Band, Te Morris and Beth McCarthy.

“We’re delighted to have The Shires perform at the festival, as they have already sold-out three performances at the arts centre within the last year,” says James. “Crissie and Ben have just launched their album, Brave, at the Country2Country Festival at the O2 Arena in London and when they came off stage they discovered they were the UK’s first country act to have an album in the Top Ten. Obviously we’re extremely pleased to have been there from the very start with the band and look forward to celebrating with them.”

In addition to two indoor stages within the main Old Station building, there will be an outdoor stage hosted by Access to Music (York), who will provide a platform for their students.

“With audience figures expected to exceed 2,000 over the three days, we firmly believe the festival will be highly beneficial to the local economy with increased trade for local bars, restaurants, hotels and camp sites,” says James.

Brass Castle Brewery and York Wine & Beer Shop will be sourcing the festival’s range of drinks.

• Tickets are on sale on 01759 301547 or at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk