Winchcombe

The second Winchcombe Festival of Music & Arts promises to be a "right royal affair".

The Festival Committee is mapping out details for the 2012 programme which will include celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and will mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of Queen Katherine Parr, the last wife of Henvy VIII who lived and died at Sudeley Castle.

Festival Chairman, Roger Paine said, "2012 promises to have a strong royal influence - not only will we be building on the success of the 2011 Festival which went down extremely well, but we will also be celebrating two unique events in the British calendar - the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and Queen Katherine Parr's Quincentenary."

Themed plans to mark the royal celebrations so far include the return of the impressive Gala Night and Last Night of the Proms and the popular all day street market.

The Festival will run from 28th May 2012 for a week and this year the Committee is aiming to provide more workshop activities in which the community and visitors can be involved, more late evening events and more street music.

Roger said.  "Based on customer and committee feedback from this year's Festival we are planning to expand the programme in several areas and offer new events where we believe there is demand.  We will also be promoting specific themed Festival events throughout the year, outside of Festival week."

The events line-up for the 2012 Festival so far includes another Art Trail, a blues or jazz evening, Gala Night, schools event, free coffee concerts, lunchtime events and pub entertainment.

Last year the Festival (the first of its kind for the Town) proved a resounding success, with many events sold out and ticket demand outstripping supply.  The Committee funded the Festival from sponsorship and advertising revenue. 

Anyone interested in joining the Festival Committee, offering their services during the week as a volunteer or with artistic or musical talents to offer the programme should contact Roger by email at roger.paine@btinternet.com.