The dynamic, diverse & international festival season. By rivers, historical buildings and beautiful scenery. And that’s just in Winsford & Middlewich!
It says so much when BBC Radio DJ Mark Radcliffe gives his endorsement for the Folk & Boat Festival in Middlewich one month & is then on the box presenting coverage live at Glastonbury. So what else connects the world’s largest music festival with it’s distant cousin down in the Weaver Valley? Well I would say it’s the unique local identity. There are other festivals that are bigger and just as famous like Reading and Leeds and people who go seem to have a great time. But do they do anything for the place they call home or could they really be based in any large town or city in the country?
The FAB Festival takes you on a vibrant but quaint tour of the river and pubs of Middlewich. As you cross one of Cheshire’s busiest roads you are transported in to a folky underworld with boats, clothes from far off lands, complex miniature machinery of steam engines & cars and a photography display of even more of the areas best kept secret wonders. Then an impromptu band strike up on a well travelled barge complete with whistles, washboards and things that ‘twang’. The band are met by a unanimous thought of “I’m quite happy to stay here and watch these”. But the fun has only just begun for the streets are buzzing with the melodic echoes from pub doorways and a not so far off field with stalls of exotic food, clothes and beverages and music from folk to pop and back again.
Over in Winsford or should I say Over, in Winsford, saw in the St John’s Church 150th anniversary with a great summer street festival as Winsford’s trio of summer music feasts kicked off in style. Initially intended as a one off but The Delemere Street festival had a wonderful community feel that was as heart warming as it was sunny & bustling. Wincap looked for volunteers, classic cars were put on show, fairground rides whirled and the stages really did rock and roll! A real twist was the lovely tea rooms set up in St John’s Church. The church community worked wonders with fabulous tea and cake and local art work exhibited all over the church. A really bustling and friendly atmosphere that never ceased for the whole day. The local vicar George Crowder who spearheaded the dedicated group of local organisers should be very proud and I hope that after a rest the committee behind it feel the feat could be repeated. Our communities need events like this.
Tom Barry - Storyteller 
We have enjoyed plenty of free music this summer and missed some of it too and it’s not over yet.