Delighted organisers of Burnham-On-Sea’s annual Folkfest event are celebrating this week after securing a £7,000 grant from the National Lottery.
The windfall has come in time to boost this year’s event, which gets underway across the town next week.
Folkfest 2007 runs from 31st August until 2nd September and will include non-stop music acts and entertainment from across the South West.
Chairman Graham Cook told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are delighted to have received this major award, which is to be spent on enhancing the infrastructure of the Folkfest.”
“The National Lottery’s ‘Awards for All’ organisation seemed impressed that we have provide such a large and diverse programme of music, dance and arts events that are available to everybody free of charge.”
News of this week’s cash injection comes after earlier grant donations from Burnham and Highbridge Town Council and the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Cultural Arts Development Society (CADS).
Organisers are now making final preparations for this year’s big event. “We have brought the craft and traders fair into the centre of the town, closing off part of the High St between Adam St and Cross St on Saturday afternoon and introduced a new “Kidzone” at the Methodist Hall on Saturday from 12.30-6.00pm, with family and children’s entertainment, starting with a Childrens Ceilidh between 12.30 and 1.30pm, Nangaz the Clown at 2pm, sing-along sessions, stories, face painting, hair braiding and other activities.”
“We have three Appalachian clog dancers performing at the Baptist Church Hall throughout Saturday, plus over 90 hours of live music in eight pub venues between 12.00 noon and 11.00pm, including acts from all over the country.”
Graham added: “The Community Centre is hosting a major arts and crafts show plus local history exhibition showing off all aspects of local history, art, hobbies and craft from 10.30am-4.00pm.”
“And we will have also extended the festival by including an opening concert at the Ritz Social Club with a fantastic Irish Band called “Black Friday”. This is the only ticket event during the whole festival.” Tickets, costing £6, are available from GC Music.
The Sunday Folk in the Park event will include music from Dragonsfly, Ron Trueman Border, Jackie Oates and Bag of Rats, plus the Chalice Morris Men, Tiger Feet Appalachian Clog and The Langport Mummers. It starts at 12.00 noon.
RELATED LINKS:
FolkFest 2006 photo special
Crowds fill Manor Gardens for Burnham’s 2006 Folk In The Park
What’s On in Burnham-On-Sea
