John Peel is to have a new UK festival named after him.

Named the John Peel Festival of New Music (we were kinda hoping for Peelfest, truth be told), the event will be held this year from October 11 to 13, by Norwich’s Sound and Vision conference.

The festival, in keeping with Peel’s focus on unsung and up-and-coming musicians, will invite 50 British “emerging bands” to perform.

“The festival is making a statement for new music,” claims organiser Stuart Hobday [via Eastern Daily Press]. “Each of these acts that we all liked from the past were a new band at some point trying to elbow their way in, and that is what John Peel represented – getting new music through to people.” There will, however, be headliners, with one of the biggest names to be announced imminently.

Like South by Southwest or Stag & Dagger, the festival will take place over several different venues across Norwich, with proceeds going to the John Peel Centre for Creative Arts in Stowmarket. The organisers don’t specify whether Peelfest (sorry) is designed as a one-off or a regular annual event, but future plans will probably depend on how the first one does.

Peel died in 2004, but the BBC presenter’s legacy continues to inspired DJs today – as does his record collection, which can be viewed here.