MELKSHAM is gearing up for a memorable summer with a lineup of exciting events.
After a year’s break, Melksham Carnival is set to return with a bang and other big events planned this summer include the dance music Shambles Festival, this year combined with a Live Band Night, a special 50th-anniversary celebration for the Melksham Lions and the popular Food & River Festival. Adding to the excitement is the possible debut of a new Proms in the Park event.
A free Glastonbury Festival warm-up show will also be held next month in the King George V Playing Field (KGV) on Friday 21st June. Somerset-based singer/songwriter Sam Evans and his self-titled band will perform ahead of their appearance at the renowned festival the following weekend. Sam and his band clinched victory in the Pilton Stage finals in March, triumphing over more than 1,000 artists to earn a spot on one of Glastonbury’s main stages. See page 3.
The town council is also looking at the possibility of Proms in the Park, with a free live screening on a large screen of the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms, in King George V Playing Field on Saturday 14th September. The council is due to discuss this idea at a meeting next week.
“What a summer we’ve got coming up in Melksham!” said mayor Tom Price. “This summer is set to be extra special and with a fantastic mix, there’s something for everyone.”
Melksham Carnival, a highlight of the summer calendar, is back on Saturday 13th July this year after a one-year break year. The carnival committee are hoping the procession will be ‘better than ever’ with dance groups, floats, fancy dress entrants, classic vehicles and more to entertain the crowds.
“After our break last year, the Melksham Carnival team, have been fundraising and working tirelessly, to bring back our procession, with all the bells and whistles!” said Carnival guardian Beth Dark. “We had received a steady flow of applications, and there are some very unusual entries this year!”
Adding to the summer’s appeal is the Food & River Festival on Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September in the KGV. It will feature delicious food from around the world, craft ales, ciders and spirits, stalls from local community and charity groups, together with live music, boats trips along the river, canoeing and paddleboard displays, fairground rides and other entertainment.
Melksham Lions Club will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with a Picnic in the Park on Saturday 14th September. There will be a live music, a dog show, baby show, donkey rides, a Punch & Judy show, roundabouts and bouncy castles, face painting and charity and trade stalls.
The summer of entertainment kicks off next weekend with a live music and dance music festival in a Big Top on KGV Playing Field. It gets under way with a Live Band Night featuring local bands on Friday 31st May, followed by the dance music Shambles Festival, back for the second year on Saturday 1st June. For full details, see page 2.
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