Georgian Festival Stamford 2013
Georgian Festival set for top-town Stamford
Lincolnshire’s classic market town of 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, being organised by South Kesteven District Council, 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.
As England’s first urban conservation area, Stamford’s appeal is rooted in its ancient stone buildings as the country’s most complete Georgian townscape, a photogenic backdrop for a festival dedicated to the period.
The town’s Arts Centre could see re-runs of films shot amidst the town’s unspoilt Georgian streets and there is a stage version of Pride and Prejudice booked, confirmed SKDC Leader Cllr Linda Neal.
““Stamford is a town with a rich heritage to celebrate and a strong community spirit and there is huge enthusiasm to make the most of both,” she said. “It deserves a festival that can conjure up the wonderful Georgian age of aristocracy and elegance and its heritage of literature, arts, music, food and fashion.”
We are always seeking ways to promote our towns and our local economy and this festival will, I am sure, achieve both.”.
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.”
Editor’s Note:
In March, the Sunday Times published a list of the top 101 places to live in Britain, with Stamford top of the pile and described as ‘a reminder of the days when Britain was hale and hearty’.
The accolade rewarded the town’s mix of ancient and modern, architecture pretty enough for a host of costume dramas, hostelries such as the historic George Hotel with its Anglo-Saxon roots, individuality and organic produce retailers next to designer boutiques.
Summing up the character and community spirit that perhaps won the day over 100 other nominated places was the Times comment: ‘you are never more than a collywobble from a pint or a prayer book’.
Further information: pr@southkesteven.gov.uk 01476 406494
