Mitcheldean Festival

Ideas are already beginning to flow for 2023, including an extended tug-of-war competition! The broad structure of the Festival remains the same, including singing in the church on Friday 14th July and Saturday 15th and comedy at the Jolter Press on Sunday 16th. Invitations to concert performers and details of the young poets and storytellers competition will be published after Christmas, meanwhile you are very welcome to come to the Lamb from 7pm on Wednesday 11th January to find out more – Cheers!

We’re already beginning to plan for the next annual party, 14th – 16th July 2023!

If you would like to volunteer some of your time to help make the weekend even more of a success, please contact us on talktous@mitcheldeanfestival.fod.uk, or come along to the Lamb Inn from 7pm on Wednesday 16th November 2022 – all welcome!

Very many thanks to everyone who helped make 2022’s event another great Festival!

More photos can be viewed on our Facebook page – Cheers all!

£2 souvenir programmes with details of the performers are already on sale at Mitcheldean Library, and will be at the White Horse from today Thursday evening, the Lamb and Jolter Press Friday evening, the parish church at the Friday and Saturday concerts and at the Fete on Saturday. There is also a free handout with the Festival timetable

Just a few days until this year’s Mitcheldean Festival – but it’s going to be very hot!

Free parking behind the Mews off Mitcheldean High Street has been kindly arranged by Vantage Point Business Village (see map). From there it is a short walk to all the Festival venues, including the Fete on the playing fields where there will be a water station for people to refill water bottles – do bring your own bottles, and think about sun hats and sun cream as well! There will also be a First Aid post on the field.

Mitcheldean WI will be providing refreshments in the community centre during the day, starting early with bacon butties! There will also be a wide range of refreshments in the parish church on Saturday, and a bar at the parish church on the Friday evening. Pepper’s Perfect Pizzas will be outside the Brewery Tap on Friday evening, and Mitcheldean has a very wide range of great takeaways open over the weekend.

The Met Office has issued a “danger to life” warning for Sunday, as temperatures are expected to reach 29 degrees C, or 84 degrees F in old money. This is already affecting the planned Sunday Folk Walk, as while the chosen route is largely under trees, it is still going to be hot, not least for any walking dogs. A final decision may well be taken outside the White Horse at 12 noon not to risk it. Those of us who have prepared songs to sing on the way may have to settle for performing at a shadier place – for confirmation on the day.

Otherwise the Festival and Fete programmes are going ahead as planned, keep safe and hydrated and enjoy!

As well as the anticipated events (see timetable below), we are pleased to announce there will be a comedy show at the Jolter Press on the afternoon of Sunday 17th July from 3.30 pm. The line-up will include popular favourite Col Howarth, the session chaired by the incomparable Darren Hoskins!

The Brewery Tap are also hosting their own launch party on the Friday evening, 15th July, when you can enjoy music from The Drift while washing down Pepper’s Perfect Pizzas with the Bespoke Brewery’s great real ales. Something for everyone at Mitcheldean Festival – come on down!

FRIDAY 15th JULY
Acoustic concert in the parish church 7- 9.30 pm

7.00 Andy Scarf
7.10 Karl Jennings
7.25 Sid Harvey & Mansfield Smith
7.50 Eden Tanner
8.00 Tracey and The Swannacks
8.30 TBC
9.00 Dick Brice

Music and song session in the Lamb from 8 pm
The Drift at the Brewery Tap

SATURDAY 16th JULY
Young Poets and Storytellers in the parish church, noon
Busking and Morris dancing in the village during the day

Fete on the playing field from 12.30, entertainments 2-4 pm:
• Pillowell Silver Band
• Mitcheldean Primary School
• Morris Dancing
• Tug O’ War between the two village pubs

Poetry recital in the Jolter Press from 4 – 6 pm
• Maggie Clutterbuck
• Annie Cavill
• Dick Brice
• Carol Sheppard
• Val Ormrod
• Tess Biddington
• Anna Saunders
• Jonathan Edwards
• Ziggy Slug

Concert in the parish church 4 – 9pm

4.00 Jan Vaisey and Ian Harvey
4.30 Bygonz
5.00 AnnTeek
5.30 Keith Hyett
6.00 John Eyre
6.30 The Taylor Family
7.00 Clint Mann
7.30 Rebil
8.00 The Long View
8.30 Mice in a Matchbox

Dancing and song in the community centre 7-30 – late

SUNDAY 17th JULY
Folk walk from 12 noon to 6 pm, starting at the White Horse
Music and song session in the White Horse from 2 pm
Gloucestershire Comedy at the Jolter Press from 3.30 pm