Everton Village Festival Unveiled

Excitement and enthusiasm are building in Everton Village as the format for the fourth annual Festival is made public on newly designed Festival website www.evertonfestival.com. 

This year the Festival has been extended to cover a week, opening in the Village Church Hall on Sunday June 11th, with a light classical evening, a‘Summer Serenade’ and closing at the Festival Finale on Sunday June 18th with Swing Unlimited playing at Everton Nurseries. In between there are Vintage Cars and so much more...

As usual the Festival offers a wide range of musical evenings, jazz, folk, swing, classical, rock and blues and brass. There are workshops during the week for starters and improvers on the ukulele, with the hope that students will give a cameo performance during the popular Empty Frets Extravaganza on Saturday June 17th.

Everton Nurseries once again have generously offered their premises during the afternoon and evening of Sunday the 18th. Forest Youth Orchestra will be opening the proceedings outside Camellias at 11.30. Fathers Day is catered for too, as there’s a chance to spoil Dad in the afternoon with a Cream Tea whilst listening to the lovely Polly Morris, who is melodic, pretty and amusing. That is sure to be a hit! And of course there’s no better way to end the Festival week than an evening of foot tapping and jiving amongst the geraniums, with the great Community band, Swing Unlimited. All this entertainment can be sampled along with Wine, buffet food and supper boxes. Most of the entertainment is free, but any charge is very reasonable as costs have been kept down as the Festival is subsidised by the Everton Community Association and sponsored by Hyundai and Purewell. Ticket details are available on the website.

The Festival focus is on a different art form on June 12th when the Village hosts a Photographic Soiree…an evening in which wildlife cameraman Dr Manuel Hinge will be showing his acclaimed film of the New Forest ‘Ytene’. He will be accompanied by International award winner, local photographer, Louis Rumis who will be showing slides of his work in the New Forest. 

Photography and the environment are a key theme in the Festival this year. This kicks off with a Photography walk in the New Forest, during which ramblers will be encouraged to take photographs, which can then be entered into the Festival Competition, entitled, ‘Spring in the New Forest’. This Photography walk takes place on May 31st and is led by Volunteer Forest Ranger Steve Adams, and helped along by artist Carole Knighton. Please phone Steve 7754842731 to book a place. The competition is open to anyone, and photographs do not have to be taken on the walk. Entries will be judged by Louis Rumis and then exhibited at the Soiree. Details can be found on the website.

Finally, Vintage cars please…is the cry from the organisers as they set about joining in with the nationwide event, ‘the Great Get together’. This will be on the Everton Recreation Ground on Saturday the 18th. This community collective will have live music from 11.30, there will be a Hog Roast, refreshments, a beer tent, tombola, Birds of Prey, Punch and Judy, space hoppers and hula hoops, let alone a bit of Zumba, all alongside displays by local creative folk.

Bring a picnic for everyone is welcome and tables and chairs will be provided.(Hopefully set, in keeping with the event, with red gingham table cloths! )The Rec is a large flat open space and is ideal for exhibiting Vintage Cars, so if you do have one then please get in touch with Festival Co-ordinator Cheryl Fillmore. 01590 644865. There is no charge, and the Rec. also offers plenty of free and safe parking. 

All details and how to find the events can be found on the website www.evertonfestival.com and in the Festival Programme which will be available in May.