As you peruse this, dear reader, Huntingdon Arts will be girding its loins for the start of the Worcester Festival, and praying for good weather.
The Festival has had months of planning and organisation. From the de-brief of last year's Festival in September, to the launch in January, the booking of all the acts and co-ordinating the programme, writing the brochure, trying to raise the money for various events, launching the programme, organising the delivery of 80,000 brochures through doors, getting all the events on the computer ready for selling tickets, selling the tickets, advertising the events including getting all the banners and signs out, designing and ordering the T-shirts, and so much more.
On just one event, the final firework display, we have to write method statements, risk assessments, book a police presence, inform the ambulance service, the fire service, environmental health, the city council, the National Farmers' Union, the swan rescue sanctuary, the RSPCA, local residents.We have to take two adverts in the paper to inform pet owners, book twelve stewards, and organise and pay for a clear-up in the morning.
And, almost certainly, the next morning, the warden of the local sheltered housing will phone me up and complain. I bet Guy Fawkes never had all this trouble!
So, all you have to do now is come and enjoy. We have an opening procession starting from the Elgar Statue at 3pm. It will be warm and sunny! Won't it? Of course it will. Although now I think about it, it may be the one thing I haven't written to anybody about.
Chris Jaeger is Director of Huntingdon Arts
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