Love Melksham

This week you can’t be in Melksham and not be aware of the brilliant Sham Jam Festival happening all around you.

Everywhere you look there’s an arty, music or comedy event taking place and if you pick up a handy programme from one of the many festival venues, you’ll see just how much there is to enjoy in Melksham this week.

On Friday the festival kicked off with an energetic yellow explosion of movement and music when hundreds of people danced, swayed and sang along to a flashmob of Don’t Stop Me Now in the Market Place. Led by a dynamic lady in yellow at the front, with dance moves that everyone had learned online, the crowd brought their yellow-clad energy – and fake moustaches – together in synchronised celebration of Freddy Mercury declaring, “I’m having a good time, having a good time!”

This joyful spirit of community camaraderie set the tone for the week, and I loved the very typical festival moment as the crowd dispersed after the flashmob. Several people made their way to the Assembly Hall for some musical hilarity with Rich Hall, while my friends headed into town.

“We’re going to the Hiding Place for the Canvas Swap, are you coming?”

“No, we’re off to the Riverside Centre for the Open Mic Night.”

“Cool, well see you at the comedy on Saturday!”

“Yeah, after the Ukulele Session.”

I don’t know if there has ever been this much happening in Melksham in one week. The Sham Jam Festival is hosted by Melksham Town Council, in 12 venues around the town, and is a packed programme of 50 events of art, music and more. You can listen to community choirs, jazz and folk music; you can have a go at creative writing, street art, pottery, origami or flower arranging; you can have a laugh with nearly twenty comedians; and you can dance and sing your heart out at Martin Kemp’s legendary Back to the 80’s party in the marquee in King George V Playing Field this Friday.

In among all this, if you have time you can add to the giant community mosaic that has been growing all week. I am lucky enough to be hosting a festival event on the evening of Thursday 24th September, when the Assembly Hall will be full of crafting, painting, cutting and creating as we turn thousands of miniature artworks into one huge blue, green and orange mosaic of a Melksham Kingfisher. Any type of creation is welcome, on either 4cm or 8cm squares, in any material, with a generally environmental theme. If you can’t make it on Thursday, you can make squares at home to drop in to the Town Hall throughout the week.

Whatever you’re into, there is absolutely something for everyone in the Sham Jam Festival, and it is such a joy to be surrounded by the enthusiasm and togetherness of such a rich range of community creativity.

Pick up a programme from the Town Hall, Specsavers, Doubles, Kings Arms, Hiding Place, or Library or find the Sham Jam festival online and discover another fabulous reason to Love Melksham!