A SIX-hour music marathon is to be held this weekend as part of the countdown towards February’s big Coastival festival in Scarborough.

Steppin’ Out! will be hosted by Scarborough DJ Mister Tooley from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, outside the Watermark Café in Royal Albert Drive.

Mister Tooley promises “a heady mix of R&B, Gospel, Jump Blues, Ska and Rocksteady, Latin Jazz, Chicago Soul, Boogaloo, New Orleans Funk and more”, from a collection amassed over four decades.

The event will promote the Coastival 2014 festival and in particular support the club room, an essential part of next year’s Coastival event.

There’s no admission charge to Steppin’ Out! but there will be a collection with funds going towards the club room.

Mister Tooley said: “The fantastic thing about Coastival is that so many local people generously offer their time, energy and skills into making it work. Next year the club room will be expanded to include some live music and guest DJs from around the UK.

“We really want to retain the free admission policy and one way of doing that is for anyone attending the Watermark event to give some spare change – every little helps.

He said: “DJ spots are never long enough either so it’s great to have six hours to really dig deep into the record boxes.”

Coastival is organised by Scarborough-based arts development agency Create.

Create director Wendy Holroyd said: “Excitement is building for Coastival 2014 and Steppin’ Out! promises to be a great taster for the festival.

“We hope as many people as possible get along for what promises to be a wonderful, chilled out, experience.”

For more information on Coastival events visit www.coastival.com