Whitchurch is heading into events season in full force with a packed programme for summer 2018. The Mayor of Whitchurch Town Council Cllr Tony Neville said “I am really excited for all of the events that Whitchurch has in store for the town this year. True community spirit shines through everything that we do.”
Here are some dates for your diary:
Whitchurch Friday Market is taking part in Love Your Local Market Fortnight from 17th – 31st May. The town market has welcomed a variety of new traders so far this year including Bob’s Pre-loved Books & Vinyl, Amanda’s Emporium, Lock Side Café Gifts and Ice Cream and a Vegan Food Stall. To celebrate the Love Your Local Market Campaign you can pick up a free Whitchurch Friday Market cotton tote bag with any purchase in May. Limited to one per customer.
A monthly indoor craft fair will be taking place on the first Saturday of the month in the Civic Centre, to coincide with the town’s Makers Market. Due to improvement works to the Main Hall these monthly fairs are set to start on Saturday 2nd June following the launch of the town’s season of events with the Spring Fair earlier this month, where a similar format was trialled. These monthly craft fairs are new for 2018.
From 11th – 13th May Whitchurch Walkers host the town’s 6th annual walking festival. The walks are booking up quickly and completed forms can be handed in at the Community Hub Desk. There are three days of walking opportunities and activities that will provide you with the opportunity to explore Whitchurch and the surrounding countryside. Evening entertainment will include a film and a Folk session on Friday evening as well as a Ceilidh on Saturday 12th May at the Brownlow Community Centre from 7.30pm.
The fifth annual Whitchurch Food & Drink Festival will be held from Saturday 19th – Sunday 20th May 2018. Celebrity Chef Rosemary Shrager is coming back to Whitchurch after a successful festival debut in 2016. Rosemary Shrager said “I am really looking forward to visiting Whitchurch Food & Drink Festival again, I had such a ball back last time. It was great to see a small town working together to host a wonderful festival.” Rosemary’s latest TV work includes being a judge on The Big Family Cooking Showdown and, most recently, The Real Marigold Hotel on Tour when Rosemary and her group of TV veterans travelled to China and Thailand to experience retirement in a foreign country, which aired on BBC1 in December 2017. Visitors can also enjoy the Royal Wedding as live coverage will be screened throughout the event. The top of the High Street will be closed to traffic to make way for the festival’s Artisan Craft Market, which allows for traders who produce non-food items the opportunity to exhibit at the festival. There will be live music at the food court, activities for children and lots of wonderful products to try and buy. Cllr Neville enthused “I can’t wait to open the event with Rosemary we have a great show in store for you – you definitely don’t want to miss it!”
Whitchurch Party in the Park is going to be busier than ever this year with a packed programme of local bands, as well as a whole host of food, beverage and community stalls. This year the biggest summer party in Whitchurch is on Saturday 9th June from 1pm – 7pm in Jubilee Park. Cllr Tony Neville said “You must make sure you visit Party in the Park this year, every year the event gets bigger and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for great sunny weather.”
For more information about any of the events listed please visit http://www.whitchurch.info or telephone the Civic Centre on 01948 665761.
