The former Luna Fest rock festival, which had two editions in Coimbra, is now called Rocketmen, moving from Praça da Canção to Jardim da Sereia and becoming free of charge.

The festival, co-organised with the Coimbra City Council, will take place from 31 July to 2 August, with what will be its third edition representing several changes, according to the organisation.

After two years of charging for tickets, the festival is now free to enter (those who bought tickets can be reimbursed from 23 June) and is moving from Praça da Canção, a large space on the left bank of the Mondego, to Jardim da Sereia, in the centre of Coimbra, where the City Festivals concerts usually take place.

In addition to these changes, the Rocketmen festival has finalised its line-up with the announcement of British band The Boys, formed in the late 1970s, fellow English band Bad Nerves and Australian band Dr. Sure’s Unusual Practice. The names now announced join a line-up that includes Mão Morta, 999, Táxi, Arsenal Mikebe feat HHY, MAQUINA and The Darts (in the photo), among others.

For the festival director, Tito Santana, who co-directed the two editions of Luna Fest with Victor Torpedo, the move to Jardim da Sereia allows for a substantial reduction in production costs, and he also believes that, because it is free, it will attract more people.

According to Santana, the festival is still waiting to see what support will be given by the Coimbra City Council, considering that ‘everything is defined and closed’ except for this ‘indecision’ on the part of the municipality.

These changes also seek to correct mistakes made in the past with Luna Fest, he said, considering that the festival should have started under the terms now proposed.

‘At Praça da Canção, it was very difficult. We don’t have the financial or professional structure to compete with Paredes de Coura or Vilar de Mouros,’ he added.

The concerts, which start at 6 p.m. and end at 1:30 a.m., will be held at Jardim da Sereia, and there will be a stage with a DJ at Praça da República.