Community festival to light up the town

The Festival of Community on Saturday, 19^th October, will feature exhibitions, street performers and a community stage with local poets, choirs and singers. 

Light show projections and interactive soundscape performances in the Market Place will accompany a showstopping community lantern parade.

Cllr Paul Stokes, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “This is a free event for everyone and we are thrilled to welcome residents and visitors to celebrate with us in Grantham for the Festival of Community.

“It will be a busy day delving into the rich history that the town has as well as an opportunity to showcase the incredible community spirit that exists, demonstrated by the number of residents and community groups who came together to make the lanterns and decorations on display for the parade.

“The revitalised Grantham Market Place is the perfect backdrop to the celebrations, with the accessible open space ready to be used for the benefit of all our residents, businesses and visitors.”

Work to improve the commercial area and drive footfall to the businesses and market of the town was funded with part of the £4.1m Grantham Future High Street Fund awarded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.

The festival’s daytime activities run from 10am until 2pm in the Market Place with the Pop-Up Exhibition Market. Local Grantham artists are invited to exhibit their artwork and chat with visitors about their artistic practice.

The Community Stage will showcase Grantham’s talented artists with performances until 2pm.

Grantham-inspired street entertainment to appeal to the whole family will be provided by local theatre companies Boondog Balladeers, Earth Bound Misfits, Artizani and Mishap Theatre.

The Balladeers will perform songs recalling conversations they had with the public during their summer shows while The Mishap Theatre’s Hairy Hikers will encourage audiences to explore the history of their hometowns.

“Our street entertainment will help visitors to really connect with the place they live and explore the history, the heritage and the community that exists today.” Cllr Stokes said.

Into the evening, the town will become illuminated with animated projections cast onto Lindpet House.

Celebrating the heritage and present-day community, Past, Present & Future is a collaboration with those living, working and visiting Grantham who have shared their memories of the town.

Visitors will have the chance to play with the spectacle of sound with The Fabuloso Organ, an interactive electronic instrument that enables the public to create their own soundscape.

The organ was created by sculptor and engineer Dave Cranmer from an old organ from the Sessions House in Spilsby.

The Punjabi Roots Academy will bring rhythmic celebration to the evening with a DJ set and Dhol drumming throughout the evening. The group will also lead the main event, a community parade, through the town.

The Community Parade will walk from Westgate to the Market Cross as a celebration of the heritage and community of Grantham today.

The parade will be embellished with lit lanterns and decorations, inspired by the Market Place’s past, created with support of Grantham Arts CIC during summer craft workshops with residents and local community groups.