| Stamford Georgian Festival 27-29 September |
Stamford, the UK’s finest example of unspoilt Georgian architecture, is to host its first Georgian Festival in September to celebrate the town’s colourful heritage and architecture. It will be another milestone for the stone town voted the top place to live in Britain earlier this year by the Sunday Times. (see: Editor’s Note). The weekend festival will run from September 27–29 to celebrate the Georgian era spanning the period between 1714 and 1830.
Organisers South Kesteven District Council and partners are developing a programme of speakers and events to include a costumed performance of the town’s infamous Bull Run, a 700-year tradition where a single bull was chased and then slaughtered - halted in 1839. Key speakers include Dan Cruickshank, art historian and BBC television presenter with a special interest in the history of architecture. Annie Grey, celebrated BBC food historian, will open the festival with a talk on the food and dining habits of the Georgian period - including food tastings - and there will be a Friday evening opening church recital.
On Saturday a Georgian Street Fayre will combine craft and famers markets, rural crafts, period street performers, food demonstrations and tastings, old fashioned children’s games, a Punch and Judy show, arts and face painting. There will be storytelling, exotic animals which were popular in the Georgian period, a town crier and live period music and dance. The weekend will stage talks on Georgian architecture, garden design, fashion, natural philosophy, literature and poetry, artists of the period and the alchemy of brewing involving Stamford’s own Melbourne Brothers brewery. Popular children’s favourite Horrible Histories is staging two shows in the Corn Exchange Theatre to portray their own popular brand of Georgian blood, battles, gore and glory.
Town councillors are equally enthused with the Festival plans, says Mayor and council chairman Cllr Brian Charles Sumner. “After last summer’s Jubilee events and Olympics torch relay, we are thrilled to have another big event in Stamford and delighted to be working in partnership with the district council. “Our traders are keen to be involved, and Stamford’s legendary community involvement will ensure that it’s a brilliant event."
Further information from pr@southkesteven.gov.uk 01476 406494
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