Plans being laid for next 10Parishes Festival

ARTISTS, venue and parish organisers, and volunteers are being invited to an open meeting in December to discuss next year’s 10Parishes Festival.
The meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 9, at 7.30 pm in the Silver Street Centre, Wiveliscombe.
The 2009 festival will run over nine days from Saturday, September 12 to Sunday, September 20.
The annual festival has become a major biennial arts and community event in Wiveliscombe and the nine surrounding parishes, involving more than 100 artists and more than 150 events.
This year’s festival finished with a town centre celebration in The Square, Wiveliscombe, when thousands of people thronged the area to enjoy local food, drink, and entertainments.
More information about the festival can be found by logging on to http://www.10parishesfestival.org.uk/ or calling 01984 624564.

10Parishes Festival finishes with a flourish

A NINE-day celebration of the arts ended in truly festive spirit as thousands of people flocked to Wiveliscombe town centre for a street market and weekend of local food, drink, and entertainments.
The annual 10 Parishes Festival, which ran in Wiveliscombe and the nine surrounding parishes from September 8 to 16, has become a major biennial arts and community event, involving more than 100 artists and more than 150 events.
The weekend’s activities included everything from open art galleries to sculpture gardens, and drama to singing.
On Saturday, West Street, Wiveliscombe, was closed to traffic as an estimated 2,000 people watched the town’s carnival and visited stalls selling a variety of local food, drink, and crafts - plus music and entertainment.
Festival director Pauline Homeshaw said: “It is our third festival and has been better than ever.
“It has grown into a wonderful celebration of art and community. It has been fantastic.
“Now we are looking forward to the next festival.”
The Festival Market - a first for the event - saw local shopkeepers and food and drink producers set up stalls under green and white striped canopies, with everything from chocolate to smoked trout, and local beer and craft cards to jewellery.
People of all ages thronged the street and the nearby The Square to enjoy drinks and food from the stalls and outdoor cafes.
They also sat in Jubilee Gardens and listened to bands, watched Kingsmead Community School drama group, or tried their luck at belly dancing.
A Wheelbarrow Carnival in aid of 10Radio saw 20 barrows parading through the street and to the Recreation Ground, with adults and children dressed in all kinds of inventive garb, preceded by the youngsters of Wellington Majorettes.
Jed and Sam Dove, of Wiveliscombe, won the best float for their ‘Dr Who’ theme.
Stalls did a roaring trade, with many rushing to bring in more stock or selling out, while artists in all nine parishes reported excellent results from their nine days of exhibitions.
One stallholder, Richard Robbins of Nutcombe Chocolates, Minehead, said: “It has been a very relaxed atmosphere, plenty of people, a very nice variety of stalls with local shops involved too - I have really enjoyed the day.”
Tim and Carrie Parker, of Wiveliscombe, said: “There was a great crowd, tremendous stalls, and it was good to see so many people enjoying themselves and meeting up with friends. We were very impressed.”
Throughout the weekend other events and exhibitions carried on around the parishes of Ashbrittle, Bathealton, Brompton Ralph, Chipstable and Waterrow, Clatworthy, Fitzhead, Huish Champflower, Milverton, and Stawley.
For one of the youngest exhibitors, Sam Jeffs, aged 18, who had just completed a National Diploma in Fine Art, at Somerset College, it was an opportunity to have his work seen and his Minotaur made from scrap metal was a landmark piece at the Spring Grove Market Gardens, in Milverton.
Bathealton saw a constant stream of visitors to see the Ark Has Landed - 25 pairs of animals created by villagers, as well as the colourful silk banners around the church and paintings by well known professional artists, including Tilly Willis and Antonia Myatt.
With drama, writing, and workshop events throughout the weekend, the festival celebration ended on a high on Sunday night with The Demon Barbers, a nationally known vocal harmony cabaret show, an event which was sponsored by Wiveliscombe and District Rotary Club.
More information about the festival can be found by logging on to http://www.10parishesfestival.org.uk/ or calling 01984 624564.

NASA moon landing exclusive for arts festival weekend

PORLOCK is preparing for literature lovers from across the country who will be descending on the village next month for its annual arts festival.
The festival has again attracted leading lights of the literature and media worlds, including Sunday Times columnist Roland White and BBC crime correspondent and murder mystery writer Simon Hall, who will conduct a fun and thought-provoking discussion with insights on the media from people in the know.
The event will also host an exclusive premiere, the first public UK showing of some of NASA’s previously withheld footage of the original moon landing.
It also features this year’s Orange Prize winner, Rose Tremain (pictured), author Dame Margaret Drabble, who is a sponsor and festival patron, and Fleet Street columnist and biographer Valerie Grove.
The festival has an action-packed agenda to keep people of all ages entertained during the weekend, which runs from September 11 to 14.
It includes storytelling, a Pelham puppet exhibition, a pottery talk and demonstration and a poetry picnic in Porlock’s Jubilee Garden with music and open microphone.
The historic village will also be buzzing as artists and craftspeople throw open the doors of their studios and showrooms.
Artisans will display their techniques, work, and collections, including silver jewellery, basket making, pottery, blacksmith’s art, wood sculptures, paintings, textiles, and felting.
Festival organiser Tony Pinnington said: “We are delighted with the response so far.
“Ticket sales have been strong, so we are advising people to book now to make sure they do not miss any of the festival highlights.”
The programme and information on how to book tickets or where to stay is available by logging on to http://www.porlockfestival.org/, emailing porlockci@somerset.gov.uk or calling 01643 863150.

Orange Prize winner attending Porlock Arts Festival

A FOUR-day feast for culture vultures gets underway with the return of one of the West Somerset’s best-loved literary celebrations next month.
Porlock Arts Festival, which runs from September 11 to 14, is playing host to leading lights of literature and media from across the country.
Arts festival organiser Tony Pinnington said: “We are delighted with this year’s line-up.
“We have attracted leading figures from the literary and media worlds and it promises to be a fantastic festival.”
This year’s Orange Prize winner, Rose Tremain, along with renowned author Dame Margaret Drabble and Fleet Street columnist and biographer Valerie Grove will be sharing their experiences and talking about their work during a friendly and informative evening.
Sunday Times columnist Roland White, Dan Hall, a former BBC commercial executive and now head of development for Dangerous Films, and BBC crime correspondent and author of murder mysteries Simon Hall will host a fun and thought-provoking afternoon discussion with the audience on the topic ‘Who Do We Believe?’.
The unspoilt historic village of Porlock will be buzzing as artists and craftspeople throw open the doors of their studios and showrooms.
Artisans will display their techniques, work, and collections, including silver jewellery, basket making, pottery, blacksmith’s art, wood sculptures, paintings, textiles, and felting.
There will also be a Pelham Puppet exhibition and demonstration, as well as glass blowing demonstrations.
Journalist and popular author Tony James will entertain as he draws from a lifetime of heroic failure in meeting his life plans, followed by gentle jazz in a bistro setting.
Famed author Sir Christopher Ondaatje, who lives locally, will also host a wine and cheese evening where he talks about his books.
More information on the Porlock Arts Festival or where to stay can be obtained by logging on to http://www.porlockfestival.org/ or emailing porlockci@somerset.gov.uk or telephoning 01643 863150.

• Our photographs show (TOP) a view of Porlock and (BELOW) author Dame Margaret Drabble. Photos submitted.