Free festival for all the family in Priory Park this weekend
On Saturday 26 June the Priory Park Community Festival returns to the park promising a fun-packed day for people of all ages.
Hundreds of people are expected to flock to Priory Park on Saturday, 26 June 2010, for this year’s Priory Park Community Festival. The fun starts at 11.00am and runs until 5.00pm.
The event promises a free, fun-packed day out for people of all ages featuring over 100 community and craft stalls selling a range of wares, from homemade jewellery and cakes to artwork and homeware, and even chocolate making workshops.
Children's activities
There will be fun activities for children including face painting and circus skills workshops; traditional fairground rides; entertainers; demonstrations; a youth zone with climbing wall and bungee run and a variety of food and drink stalls to choose from.
Live music and performers
In the performance arena, a whole host of bands and performers will entertain the crowds throughout the day, including an adaptation of a Mid Summer Night’s Dream by inclusive youth theatre group Orbit Shed; belly dancing; Blue Butterfly Acrobats and a Tai Bo demonstration.
The team from Reigate’s French restaurant La Barbe will be making a dramatic entrance into the park with a high-kicking Can Can, joined by professional dancers from Reigate School of Ballet.
Bands including Bleeptest, Arcs, MiMi Soya and U2 tribute band, Blood Red Sky, will provide the soundtrack to the afternoon.
Bigger and better
Cllr Adam De Save, Ward Member for Reigate Central and Executive Member for Leisure and Wellbeing, said: “We are expecting hundreds of people to come to Reigate for what promises to be a great event.
"The programme for the festival is even bigger and better than last year, with even more stalls, activities, performers and live music, making for an enjoyable day for everyone.
"I am also pleased that we are able to honour our local Armed Forces and I’m sure that they will entertain the crowds with their interesting displays. We hope visitors will enjoy all that the day has to offer"
Armed Forces Day
The Priory Park Community Festival incorporates the Council’s event to mark Armed Forces Day, which honours our Forces past, present and future.
Local TA Units, Veterans and Cadet Corps will be putting on a range of interesting activities and demonstrations.
The Band of the Surrey Yeomanry, Oatlands Park Pipe Band and 135 Squadron Air Cadets, one of the top two UK Air Cadets bands in the country, will be displaying their musical talents.
TS Ark Royal Sea Cadets will give a hornpipe and club swinging demonstration; Redhill, Reigate and Horley Army Cadets will perform a drill sequence and visitors can have a go at their inflatable assault course.
In addition, British Transport Police will demonstrate the work of their police dog unit.
Free parking
Cllr De Save added: “We have decided to suspended parking charges for the day in our Reigate town centre car parks as a goodwill gesture so that visitors to the event can park for free.
"However we would ask that people walk into town or use public transport where possible as this will greatly ease congestion and the anticipated high demand for parking spaces on the day."
Free parking relates to the Council's pay and display car parks at Bell Street, Bancroft Road multi-storey, Upper West Street and the Town Hall.
Last updated : 24/06/2010
