Burnham and Highbridge’s Mayor Sharon Perry has praised the team who run the Highbridge Festival of the Arts as she opened the 77th annual event on Monday (March 10th).
The 2025 festival runs from Monday 10th – Saturday March 22nd at Burnham’s Princess Theatre and St John’s Church in Highbridge.
Cllr Sharon Perry presented long-time festival supporter Fay Burston with a special medallion, pictured above, and congratulated Fay on becoming Honorary Vice-President of the Festival alongside Janine Diamond, the Speech & Drama Adjudicator.
Festival Chair, Mary Lawrence, welcomed everyone to the first day and read a message from Festival President Nigel Hess who passed on his best wishes to everyone for another successful couple of weeks.
The Mayor said at the opening ceremony: “I am delighted to be here on the first day – it is, for me, one of the highlights of the year, providing an opportunity for people to showcase their talents in the performing arts and today we are starting with the Speech and Drama Section.”
“It is wonderful to see so many of you here today, from different local schools. I expect you have all been working hard, I am really looking forward to seeing your performances and I hope you have an enjoyable morning.”
“It’s also good to see so many parents and carers here to see our young people take to the stage. I know from my own experience of watching my children participate in the Festival that you will have a mixture of emotions and will feel enormous pride in their achievements.”
She added: “I would also like to thank the teachers and support staff here today for preparing the children for this experience and for bringing them to the Festival. Because of your support, encouragement and dedication, our young people are given the opportunity to experience live performance in a theatre. In doing so, they develop confidence and gain valuable life skills such as communication, teamwork and presentation.”
“A special welcome, too, to our adjudicator Janine Diamond, for joining us today. We look forward to hearing your comment. Also, thank you to all those involved in organising the Festival. The committee works throughout the year, giving freely of their time and skills to ensure this event is such a success.”
“And finally, I have great pleasure in recognising the huge support given to the Festival in so many ways by Fay Burston. She has been a presence at the Festival for many years and I am delighted to recognise her appointment as Honorary Vice President. Good luck everyone!”
