The first Community Festival of Crowborough will be almost a 4-week extravaganza starting from 1st May, running till 27th May. A plethora of events and activities will treat the residents and visitors here this summer. The festival will be having two themes, with focus on local participation. One is – ‘On Top of the Weald” and the other is ‘The Lost World’. This venture, supported by the town council and its local businesses, has got a grant of £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.
Chairman of the Crowborough Community Festival Association, Denis Hart, said the programme put together as a community service, gets endorsement by the Lottery donation and the money will be used for free services. They are trying to be as inclusive as possible, he added.
The ‘On Top of the Weald’ theme will celebrate the town’s location as Sussex’s second highest point and borders Ashdown Forest. The theme will focus on nature, conservation and healthy living, offering talks and guided walks, in partnership with Sussex Wildlife Trust and the High Weald Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The second theme is based on Sir Arthur ConanDoyle, author and creator of Sherlock Holmes, the most famous resident However, the main focus will be on his book ‘The Lost World’, about an expedition into South America’s Amazon basin, to discover a plateau where dinosaurs still exist.
This will inspire the fist event on 1st May, a Bank Holiday, with children’s author Paul Stickland holding a workshop for youngsters. May Day celebrations will see the Iguanodon Restaurant, a 35-minute play performed outdoors. Nicole Jack, the Sussex band will end the evening, with Food Rock providing refreshments
On 20 and 21 May, amateur dramatists Crowborough Players will put on ‘Beyond Baker Street’, a theatrical experience . The performance of local choirs with renowned choral composer Alexander L’Estrange and holding choir workshops during the free event is another feature.
