New festival launched to show how much we all Love Oswestry
A brand-new event to celebrate everything we love about a Shropshire town will take place next month.
The Love Oswestry festival will shout about all that is great in the town through music, poetry and art, culminating in a special lantern parade.
It comes thanks to £90,000 funding from Historic England and is organised by the Cultural Consortium as part of the Oswestry High Street Heritage Action Zone project.
The event, on Saturday, February 12th, will see live music, guided tours and art workshops taking place, before the sunset lantern procession brings the event to a close.
A love heart town trail, an official opening and a drumming workshop will also play major roles in the festival – a full agenda can be seen below.
Councillor Ed Potter, Deputy Leader of Shropshire Council and Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Planning, said:
This is a tremendous idea to celebrate all that we love about the wonderful town of Oswestry and I cannot wait to see the incredible projects that come out of it.
From the live music to the lantern parade, to magazine making classes for young people, there is something for everyone.
After a really difficult two years it also gives us the chance to come together safely and share what it is we love about Oswestry.
Keep your eyes peeled for all the information about what is coming up at the Festival and I look forward to so many of you taking part on the 12th.
Adele Nightingale Oswestry BID Manager added:
As part of the HAZ team it has been great for BID to be involved in the Cultural Consortium to bring forward the ‘Love Oswestry’ event. The members of the Cultural Consortium have worked really hard pulling ideas together to celebrate some of the great things we all love about Oswestry and to get both the residents and business community involved.
There will be lots of different activities going on throughout the day and we would encourage everyone to come into town and ‘Love Oswestry’.
The festival organisers are now inviting the children of Oswestry and their families to join in the lantern parade that will start from Festival Square at 5pm and follow the route through Cae Glas Park before finishing on the Bailey Head for singing.
Free craft workshops will be held at Oswestry Memorial Hall for children aged eight and over (accompanied by an adult) to make and decorate lanterns for the parade.
The workshops will be held every Saturday from this Saturday (22nd January) to 12th February.
For more information and to book a place click: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-oswestry-lantern-making-workshops-tickets-244439062817
The parade is open to all even if you haven’t not attended a workshop. Designs in Mind has been commissioned to make over 100 lanterns that can be collected to join in the procession from 4pm at the Memorial Hall on February 12th.
You can follow the all the latest by visiting: @LoveOswestryCC on Facebook.
Notes to editors:
Love Oswestry Programme
10.00 am – Final Lantern Workshop – Memorial Hall
Join us to make and decorate lanterns for our parade. Sessions are suitable for children aged 8+ For more information and to book https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-oswestry-lantern-making-workshops-tickets-244439062817
10.00am Love Heart Town Trail
To celebrate the Love Oswestry festival, we’re showing some love to our historic town centre with a Love Heart Town Trail around the town. Using the free LoyalFree app visit 8 local venues to find the Love Hearts in their window and scan the QR code to show you’ve found it. Complete to be in with a chance to win a wonderful meal for two at one of Oswestry’s restaurants. Trail opens on Sat 12 Feb, with winners picked on Monday, 7 March.
10am Oswestry Town Museum Exhibition showcasing the love affair of Gilbert and Gordon. Free.
10.30am Official Opening
Join us at the Bailey Head to officially open our Love Oswestry Event.
10.30am and 11.30pm Drumming workshop at Hermon Arts.
These workshops will be an introduction to this West African musical culture and the combination of instruments: Djembe’s, Dun Dun’s, Shaker’s and Bell’s. Using these instruments I will guide you using contemporary and traditional rhythms to create music together. No prior drumming experience is required, just an enthusiasm to have some fun! Suitable for all ages. For more information and to book https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-oswestry-african-drumming-workshop-with-bongo-damo-session-1-tickets-247157313177 for 10.30 and https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-oswestry-african-drumming-workshop-with-bongo-damo-session-2-tickets-247161616047 for 11.30 session
10.45am The Cantiones
Join the Cantiones Choir who will be singing a selection of songs at the Bailey Head
11.00am “Love Oswestry” guided town tour
Over this Love Oswestry weekend Visit Oswestry will be offering free guided town tours. Join our knowledgeable guides as they take you back in time through Oswestry’s rich history, see the old coaching inns, look out from Castle Mound and visit one of the oldest schoolhouses in the country. Tours start from Castle View, SY11 1JR and last for about 2 hours. Please book in advance by calling 01691 662753, email obt@visitoswestry.co.uk
11am-1pm: Love Oswestry Zine Launch Event
Find out more about making a zine, an online magazine, meet the artists who will work with you to create content and also have a chance to have a go at some simple printing!
Suitable for ages 12-18. Places are limited so please secure your place by booking with the library on Oswestry.library@shropshire.gov.uk or 01743 250351
12.00pm The Cantiones
Join the Cantiones Choir on Festival Square where they will be singing a selection of songs
1.30pm – 3.30pm DJ and Live Audio Mix workshop with Neil Perch from Zion Train at Hermon Arts.
The workshop will include an introduction to the DJ mixer, basic techniques of DJ-ing with two record decks including pre-monitoring and mixing from multiple audio sources. Suitable for teens and beyond. Book via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-oswestry-dj-and-live-audio-mix-workshop-with-neil-perch-of-zion-train-tickets-247173792467
2.00pm “Love Oswestry” guided town tour
Over this Love Oswestry weekend Visit Oswestry will be offering free guided town tours. Join our knowledgeable guides as they take you back in time through Oswestry’s rich history, see the old coaching inns, look out from Castle Mound and visit one of the oldest schoolhouses in the country. Tours start from Castle View, SY11 1JR and last for about 2 hours. Please book in advance by calling 01691 662753, email obt@visitoswestry.co.uk
2pm – 4pm Jamming and Folk session at The Fox, Oswestry hosted by James Hickman and Dan Strong.
James Hickman is a singer-songwriter who has supported the likes of Jools Holland, Katie Melua and Seth Lakeman. He is an encapsulating performer with a beautiful voice and incredible guitar skills. He also performs as a duo with “James Hickman and Dan Cassidy” and “Hickman and Quinn”. For musicians of all ages and abilities – come and join in, or just come along, grab a drink and listen to the tunes.
5.00 – 6.15pm Lantern Parade
Be part of the first lantern parade in Oswestry and bring some light to the dark nights of Winter and look forward to Spring. From Festival Square we will parade the lanterns through the park before making our way up to Bailey Head.
Those who have made lanterns can collect them from 4pm from the Memorial Hall. If you haven’t made a lantern please feel free to bring your own torch to join in however no naked flames
7.00 – 11.00pm Live concert from Doghouse Derelicts, The Bartells and Gemima Gallier at Hermon Arts
To book tickets for this free concert go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-oswestry-concert-featuring-doghouse-derelicts-the-bartells-gemima-tickets-247136591197
Please note programme is correct at time of going out but maybe subject to change
