Variety in Dorchester Festival line-up (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Variety in Dorchester Festival line-up

3:34pm Friday 5th February 2010

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AN ARABIAN souk, African music and dance, street theatre and a colourful parade right through the centre of town are just some of the attractions being lined up for this year’s Dorchester Festival.

At one point there were fears that the festival, which will have an African theme, would be unable to go ahead due to lack of funding, but now the Arts Council have stumped up a £38,900 grant.

“They changed their mind because the festival is such a strong thing for Dorchester and the local community,” explained Dorchester Arts spokesman Bruno Sajno.

“They want to see a lot of involvement with the community so we will be doing that plus getting international artists in.”

Dorchester Arts chairman Alastair Nisbet said: “It’s immensely difficult to win Arts Council funding for something like Dorchester Festival. We were up against major competition from events elsewhere in the country, and to come through successfully is both a massive vote of confidence from the Arts Council and a tribute to the expertise of the team at Dorchester Arts. Now we’ve got to deliver.”

Dorchester Festival will run throughout the town from Friday to Monday, May 28 to 31. Much of the activity will take place in the Borough Gardens.

The souk, a colourful market selling a wide range of exotic items, is taking place in Bowling Alley Walk and there will also be plenty of music, poetry, street theatre and more taking place in South Street.

Among the high-profile acts taking part are the Black Eagles, acrobats from Tanzania, and Parisian-based Kanda Bongo Man who specialises in jazzy ‘soukous’ or African rumba.

Hoodwink Theatre Company will be staging one of their visually stunning shows during the festival and there will be plenty of street theatre.

The Dorchester Stitchers will also be holding a two-day sewing festival in Borough Garden House.

Dorchester Town Council is keen to support the festival, and was the first to respond with funding for street theatre and three days of free events in Borough Gardens. West Dorset District Council have also agreed to support the festival, funding the huge procession through town.

As well as the ‘proper’ festival there will also be a Moving On fringe festival that musicians, dancers and singers are being encouraged to join in with.

Moving On organiser Kathie Prince is also putting together a global parade band of musicians at Grade V and above standard to lead the procession.

She said: “The band will not be a marching band. It will have its roots in the New Orleans procession bands and the musicians will be playing amazing African music.

For more details call Dorchester Arts Centre on 01305 2866926.

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