Welcome to our Festival site! We hope your visit will be a pleasure which will lead you to the delights of this and other Festivals in the area. The Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002 saw the start of our community Arts Festival, with participation from young and old, professional and ‘amateur’, experienced and those just beginning to explore the arts. Since then there has been a steady enlargement of programme, participation, and interest from many far-flung places.
Festival 2008 will take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend. A lively and varied programme is being planned with street theatre, literary discussions, an art workshop, a musical supper and lots of live music. Top of our bill this year is the well-known trio Fascinating Aïda. Lead by Dillie Keane, Fascinating Aïda has been performing their unique blend of music, comedy and social comment for over 25 years and we are delighted to welcome them as our opening event on Tuesday 19th August. Also planned is a retrospective of the life and work of Roger Deakin, author and naturalist. This event will take place at Wingfield college yard on Thursday 21st August with guest speakers to be announced. Mark Cocker will be our guest at King George’s Hall on Saturday 23rd August for a lunchtime talk. His book Crow Country, short listed for the BBC4 Samuel Johnson prize, chronicles his fascination with the bird life of East Anglia.
Harleston is a great place in a small space – do come and see us!
Visitors since 8th August 2006
Ticket and box office details for all these events are on the Festival News link.
This year we are expanding on the live music events that were so successful in 2007.
Local musicians and bands are invited to take part in a Battle of the Bands talent
competition which will run in a number of venues around town in the week leading
up to the festival weekend. The winners will be announced at the Bank Holiday Family
Fun Day. The prize for the winning band is a fantastic package including £600, so
if you want to take part, contact The Swan Hotel on 01379 852221 The Swan Hotel will
once again be holding a beer festival over the weekend to compliment this musical
extravaganza.
The festival will culminate on Bank Holiday Monday August 25th in a Family Fun day
on Harleston’s recreation ground where there will be vintage cars and tractors, a
marching band, stalls, barbeque and an old-fashioned funfair and a visit from a hot
air balloon as well as even more live music! Please look for updates on all events
on the Festival News link. With its historic buildings, independent shops and vibrant
community, Harleston is a hidden gem in the South Norfolk countryside, worth a visit
any time but especially at Festival Weekend
