|
STROUD TO BECOME FESTIVAL CAPITAL |
|
|
|
 31st March 2008
Stroud is set to become the festival capital of the south west this
September when music, walking, food and drink are combined into a
mouth-watering menu of events. Ambitious plans have been unveiled to
combine the existing Stroud Walking Festival with a new Food and Drink
Festival.
The events look set to coincide with the annual three-day Stroud Fringe, which organisers claim is one of Britain's biggest free music events. Together, the three festivals will offer residents and visitors more than 100 events, from September 5-21.
Stroud Town Council has pledged £9,000 of support for what has been dubbed Festival Fortnight. It will be one of its key projects for the Stroud Concordat - a partnership with the district and county councils, and the chamber of trade which seeks to boost the town's economy.
Organisers say the Stroud Food and Drink Festival will aim to highlight the diverse array of food and drink grown, served and sold in the town. It will showcase local producers and the best places to eat, drink and shop. Green party Town councillor Dave Cockcroft said: "Stroud has a wide range of restaurants, pubs and cafes to suit every taste, as well as many innovative businesses and food-related projects. We hope this festival will be an opportunity for them to promote what they do and to encourage even more people to put healthier, locally-produced food at the top of their menus."
In addition to the Stroud Arts Festival which runs through the year, the Site08 Visual Arts Festival will be held in June, and the International Textile Festival is in May. The first Stroud Festival of Photography was a big success last year and the town is also home to the Cotswold International Film Festival. Plans have also been announced for a Stroud Festival of Nature in July. The Fringe has provisionally booked venues for September 12 to 14. The newest addition will be officially launched on April 7. Any businesses, individual or project based in the town and interested in holding an event for the festival is invited to go along to the Space Gallery in Lansdown for an planning session, from 7.30pm.
|
Home 
News 
