And the way things are going, the extravaganza that closes next year's Worcester Festival will be even more spectacular than this one, reckons Zeena Lemon as she looks back at Worcestershire's best ever summer for the arts.
Hot, Hot, Hot! The weather may not have been at times but festival fever broke out across the county this summer. From classical music and jumping jazz to street entertainment and fabulous fireworks, festivals have welcomed famous names, thousands of visitors and really raised the temperature this year.
The Pershore Jazz Festival (September 1-4) was typical of the type of vibrant and exciting musical celebration to be had. This festival was started five years ago as a community event and its popularity has grown year on year. It now attracts around 2,000 visitors to the town and is seen as one of Pershore's key annual events.
Organiser Peter Farrell said: "The whole aim of our festival is to promote the arts through jazz. It is very much a local affair, although we attract some big names in jazz. This year our theme was a 'lifetime in jazz' and we involved people of all ages. It is organised by local people for local people and is a non-profit event."
Pershore was treated to the likes of the Pasadena Roof Orchestra and the Worcester Youth Jazz Orchestra. Number 8 - the newly built community arts theatre - played host to the event, at which, says Peter, the atmosphere was superb.
"The town really enjoys the four days of the festival, it buzzes with people who are here for the music and Pershore itself. It brings people into the town who may not have visited us before; they see how lovely it is and return at other times to visit us again."
Another event that is very much a "festival of the people" is Worcester's. It takes place throughout August and is an absolute success story. Although only in its third year, it has already been voted the Best Single Event In A British City by the British Council of Shopping Centres -- an incredible achievement considering the sheer scale of the festival.
The aim of the month long, citywide event is simple -- to provide something for everyone, and with 292 events this year to choose from, that aim was surely achieved.
As director Chris Jaeger explains, the festival -- which also acts as an umbrella for other events such as the CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival on Pitchcroft racecourse -- is about bringing all forms of entertainment to the citizens of Worcester.
"The festival does not aim to attract tourists. It is for the people of the city and that seems to be a really popular idea. We asked visitors who attended various events last year to complete a questionnaire and found out that at least 90 per cent were from Worcester or the surrounding areas."
This year there was everything from salsa dancing at Huntingdon Hall, dragon boats on the river and a film festival at The Swan Theatre to a variety of free kids' workshops and shows and music on the CrownGate live stage. The city buzzed, bounced and even jived its way through the summer with Lindy Hoppers, Celtic dancing, Shakespeare and even Chas 'n' Dave on hand to entertain.
Of the 292 events, 141 were free and 80 were priced at £5 or less. A staggering 100,000 people attended at least one event and the festival finished on a literal high with a fantastic free fireworks display attended by over 6,000 people.
Chris said: "The atmosphere on the last night, down by the river watching the fireworks really embodied the spirit of the whole event -- 6,000 citizens of Worcestershire enjoying an evening of free fun and entertainment, it was great."
Of course, the concept of festivals is nothing to new to the city. For 300 years, Worcester, Gloucester and Hereford have taken it in turns to host the celebration of music that is the Three Choirs Festival. This year it was Worcester's turn to welcome Europe's oldest classical music festival and what a feast it was too.
Between August 6 and August 14, Worcester Cathedral provided the majestic venue for a number of classical and choral concerts and welcomed the world famous City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The City of Birmingham Choir and Three Cathedrals Choir also gave performances as well as contemporary composers, soloists and young musicians. In addition to the varied classical and choral programme, there were several jazz concerts including a version of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. There were also a number of talks, lunches and a festival party. Opera even made its debut at the festival, with performances of Purcell's The Fairy Queen, while Black Voices brought gospel, blues and jazz to Worcester's College Hall.
Upton-Upon-Severn certainly knows all about jazz and the blues, holding no less than three musical extravaganzas during the year.
In May it was The Riverside Folk Festival, then in June the well-established International Oliver Cromwell Jazz festival came to town. Celebrating its 20th year this year, it attracted visitors and musicians from around the world, including Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball. The town itself became a riot of colour during the Saturday morning parade and everybody got with the beat and the sounds of a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras.
Then Upton got the Blues with the fourth Upton Blues Festival (July 15-17). King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys were there, among others, to make sure everything went with a swing.
The festival has gone from strength to strength, says its chairman, Stuart McEwan. "This year we had 54 bands altogether and attracted over 10,000 people. It was superbly successful and we have had some great feedback from the people who came."
The best thing about all these superb festivals is not the fact that they attract so many people to the county or that the simple pleasure of festival going is so alive and kicking, jumping, and jiving. No, the best thing is we can all do it again next year.
See you then!
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