Another week, another weak festival.
The arts and cultural calendar hereabouts is jam-packed full of festivals.
There are literally not enough days in the typical year to accommodate them all – although as this is a leap year we do have enough.
This weekend sees the launch of a Festival of Arts for a New Generation.
Specifically aimed at challenging new and emergent talent to show us all what they got, those taking part will be drawn from the over-72 but under-93 age bracket.
This 72-93 age grouping is increasingly significant in today’s society – although no-one seems at all clear why that might be.
All manner of fun and games are planned for the coming days. From environmental mumbo-jumbo, to something to do with revolving digits, there is plenty crammed into the programme to keep even the most mindless yobbo interested for a few precious seconds.
The festival will kick off with a grand fashion show and we are pleased to welcome the Olsman triplets (Millicent, Cassandra and Anouska) – a designer trio with their own unique brand of clothing aimed at the “twinklies” (those in the twilight of their years with more wrinkles on their face than a badly creased linen shawl).
Here they were, yesterday, charming some old folk on their arrival:
Elsewhere during the festival there will be workshops given by ageing inventors on how we can tackle climate change.
For example, Sprightly Sid (an octogenarian with wandering hands) will demonstrate how an old blacksmith’s furnace could be used to power an area the size of Wales – although, ironically, not Wales itself as he hates the place having spent many miserable holidays there with his equally miserable late wife.
Here’s the furnace, yesterday:
It will be situated in the heart of our village square. An usual sight and site in the middle of any villagist settlement, I’m sure you’ll agree, and so a powerful statement simply by being there.
One of the events I’m mostly looking forward and upward to is The Craft of Klippings.
Klippings is the accomplished driver of our acting editor and local professional model-maker Derek Belm. A dangerous sort of chap, Klippings sends a shiver down my spine – there’s something of the might about him, as in “might he be trusted?” and “what might happen if I’m left alone with him?”. He’s gay though.
He will be giving a demonstration in his Austin Allegro of how best to reverse over someone.
Here’s Klippings, yesterday, rehearsing for his performance by reversing over an unsuspecting woman gathering grass cuttings for the local WI’s floral displays:
There’s plenty more besides within the festival programme.
But I fear it faces stiff competition for attention this weekend. Over in sprawling Birmingham, the New Generation Arts Festival is also kicking off and has pretty much the same sort of programme on offer only with more coffee shops and chattering taking place.
It seems to have stolen a march as regards publicity, with all sorts of articles being writing about it how exciting it is.
But The Shouty Villager will be doing its bit to raise the profile of the Arts for a New Generation Festival – unless it rains, obviously.
