Horncastle church getting ready to showcase the freedom trail

A week-long arts and music festival gets underway in Horncastle next weekend - and best of all it is free.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Apr 2018, 11:10 BST
Octangle will be back to entertain at this years Art and Music Festival in St Marys Church. Photo: Stefan UrbanowiczOctangle will be back to entertain at this years Art and Music Festival in St Marys Church. Photo: Stefan Urbanowicz
Octangle will be back to entertain at this years Art and Music Festival in St Marys Church. Photo: Stefan Urbanowicz

The theme for this year’s event at St Mary’s Church is ‘Freedom’ and Horncastle residents of all ages have been getting behind the challenge to make the biggest paper chain the town has ever seen.

Event organiser Linda Patrick said: “There will be over 1200 chain links with prayers for peace.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Anyone who has yet to return their chain link needs to do so before next Monday so we have the chance to include them in the finished chains.

Most Popular

“Drop them off at participating shops or direct to the church.”

The festival itself will see more than 500 performers take part in 32 events, along with more than 600 pieces of artwork on display.

The Young Stagers will open the event on Saturday, May 5 at 10am with their open rehearsal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On the Saturday afternoon, tieing in with this year’s theme, Chrissie Chapman will be giving a talk on slave abolitionist William Wilberforce.

The event coincides with the Horncastle Choral Society Concert which will be held on Saturday evening, for which admission will be charged.

Linda said: “We are pleased the Society concert is being held at the same time as the festival. Other concert highlights during the week include Octangle on Sunday May 6 at 7.30pm - a fantastic eight-piece group from Louth with a wonderful repertoire - and Banovallum Singers on Friday, May 11 at 7.30pm - the first chance to hear the summer programme from this popular Horncastle Choir.

“Both these concerts are free and include refreshments.”

Throughout the week, children from local schools - primary and secondary - will be taking part in concerts and music sessions in the church, which are open for all to see.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There will also be demonstrations by local artists and performances from a range of musicians.

The week will culminate on Sunday, May 13, with a day of music, leading up to the ‘Big Sing’, which everyone is invited to take part in, before the Bishop of Grimsby symbolically breaks the chains.

Full details of all the events throughout the festival week are printed in the programme, which is available from the St Mary’s Church office.