Dereham Festival to return

IAN CLARKE

An eight-day Dereham Festival is being staged next year.

Following the successful festival in 2006, the committee agreed on a “rest year” in 2007 and have now announced that Festival 2008 will be held from May 9-17.

Chairman Jim Stebbings said: “We have now established with Dereham Town Council that the Memorial Hall will still be in use in it present form at that time, so it will remain as one of the main venues for our eight day festival.

“As before, we shall again be working closely with the local churches and hope they will also stage a number of events. We are working to create another site for the week close to the town centre as a core venue throughout the eight days.”

The committee is already hard at work and a number of performers have been booked including those for a repeat of the special gala night which will mark the opening of the festival at the Assembly Rooms on May 9, 2008.

It is also hoped for a high profile event around the town.

In 2006 around 7,000 people participated in the Dereham Festival as performers, audiences or helpers. Mr Stebbings said: “We would like to hear from any local groups, clubs or societies who would like to stage events as part of, or as fringe events to the 2008 Festival.”

This year Dereham Festival is staging a Breckland Young Bands Showcase at Northgate School on Saturday June 30 to be sponsored by Breckland Council.

There is still time for bands across Breckland to enter. A majority of the band members must be 18 years of age or under to be eligible to take part. Contact Mr Stebbings on 01362 693277.

Due to unforeseen circumstances the concert of Baroque music originally planned for May 5 this year at St Nicholas Church, Dereham, has had to be cancelled. Anyone who has bought tickets should contact Mr Stebbings for a refund.