Main text of a Newsletter distributed at Towersey festival, August 2004. Produced by Folk South West, Wren Music, Great Western Morris, John Dowell, Derek Schofield, John Golightly, Bill Lankester and Colin Andrews.
During this year's Festival it became obvious that there would be a Festival Fringe in Sidmouth In 2005. And all indications since are that It will be a sizeable and varied event Several of the current fringe events in the pubs look set to continue, and it is believed that a number of other activities are being planned by groups and individuals. Many of these plans are inevitably still at a very early stage, but they include:
Informal music and song sessions in The Anchor (Middle Bar Singers), The Radway,
The Bedford Hotel, The Swan, The Sailing Club and The New Tavern.
Daytime workshops and evening dances, organised by the Festival's social dance
advisor Ray Goodswen.
Displays of Morris dancing on The Esplanade, particularly on Sunday, but perhaps also during the rest of the week.
The Solo Jig and Melodeon Competitions.
Song and music concerts and other events, including the Festival Choir, in the Manor Pavilion Complex.
Ceilidhs in The Anchor Gardens and elsewhere.
Concertina players in All Saints Hall.
Camping facilities at Salcombe Regis (the old "Third Site") with a bus service and possibly a late night event.
There are also active discussions about holding some children's events, as well as events for the 12 to 25 years age group.
Discussion is now taking place about the best way to co-ordinate these "Fringe" events. Bill Lankester, the President of the Friends of the Festival, together with a group of Sidmouth residents, has made provisional bookings of the main Festival venues to make sure not only that they are available, but also so that maximum use can be made of them.
It would help if anyone thinking of putting on an event, or series of events, would get in touch with Bill at 60 Temple Street, Sidmouth EX1O 9BQ.
Note added by SeeRed author, Nov 2004 : the current contact points are on folk60.htm and on the top of section page (at the bottom).Hopefully, some combined publicity material may be possible, and nearer the time a 'Working Programme" will be produced so that everyone can get the most out of the Fringe. Bill would therefore also be pleased to hear from anyone who is able to offer their help, financial or otherwise, towards making the Sidmouth Festival Fringe 2005 a success.
An article in the Sidmouth Herald on 27 August 2004 (the Towersey weekend) was based around an interview with Bill Lankester. It made the following points.
A bank account at Barclays has been opened for people willing to back the fringe festival - an estimated £10,000 is needed 'up-front'.
Mr Lankester said that Sidmouth's rugby club, sailing club and cricket club "will hopefully make as much money as before" and "we need their support". It will be interesting to see how much these Sidmouth concerns give to the 2005 fringe festival - they have made large profits from previous festivals.
It was claimed that 2000 people had already booked accommodation for the festival week in 2005.