It was only a few years ago that the Bridgwater Cultural Partnership was set up in the wake of the Big Bash Festival in the town’s historic Castle street and people basically said ‘This is what we want’. Bridgwater Town Council has set aside £7,000 funding for the last two years to help make it happen. Even more funding came in from Sedgemoor and through a CIM funding bid. What we have today is the Quayside Festival which will be held this year on Saturday July 21st . An exciting free outdoor arts summer festival for Bridgwater, Sedgemoor and Somerset and celebrating local culture and diversity with national, international and local performers, artists and musicians.
Organisers, Fuse Performance, are creatively producing a professional programme of extraordinary performances in the Town Centre of Bridgwater for all the family to enjoy.
To see what they did last year click here.
To look back at the Big Bash click here.
Saturday 21st July
This years programme includes live music, indoor and outdoor theatre performances, dance, circus theatre and acrobatics, children’s carnival processions, aerial trapeze, puppetry with a range of free workshops and activities. Enjoy food and drink from local producers and also work from the Somerset crafters.
Organiser Sally Mann says “The Quayside Festival celebrates Sedgemoor and Bridgwater’s roots as a historic riverside port and home of Carnival. The Bridgwater Quayside Festival is a cultural explosion of spectacular shows organized by Fuseperformance that also celebrates this year, the 250th anniversary of circus in UK #Circus250″
To find out what’s on visit the Quayside festival website here.
Town Backing
Town Council Leader, Cllr Brian Smedley, said “Culture, performance, the arts, music, theatre, this is what Bridgwater does well and so the Town Council is happy to put money and facilities into this. Last year the event brought the town to life and featured local and national talent. In particular we are keen to encourage people to use the facilities of the town that offer regular cultural offerings throughout the year – the pubs that put on bands, the Art Centre, the Engine Room, the Library, the Museum and to take pride in the creativity of our town and it’s people. That’s what Quayside is all about.”
Afterparty
The Cultural Partnership, under the chairmanship of Cllr Tony Heywood (Eastover) are also sponsoring a free ‘Afterparty’ at the Bridgwater Arts Centre which will feature 3 local DJs. The event will start at 6pm with a film show paying tribute to the old Saturday Morning Film Clubs (maybe no-one left alive today will remember the one’s in Bridgwater at the old Odeon on Penel Orlieu…??) and then DJs Global Jukebox, the Lone Arranger and From the Vaults, will take us through the evening. Free event…come along!!