Didsbury Arts Festival Update 2010
Punch and Judy, a giant hippopotamus and a fortune-telling donkey are some of the more extraordinary characters who will be making an appearance at Didsbury Arts Festival 2010.
With more than one hundred events and exhibitions taking place at numerous local venues, this year’s Festival boasts a rich and diverse programme. The events are also FREE.
The week-long celebration of local talent will feature daily music performances including classical music, jazz and rock. Comedy, drama, dance, film and street theatre will also provide an exciting and eclectic mix, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Watch out too for the Festival puppet events, including puppet theatre in a yurt, Punch and Judy, the Hippochondriac walkabout puppet and many other weird and wonderful creations!
This year, there will be even more poets’ and writers’ events and some of Manchester’s best-known artists will be getting involved as special guests of DAF. The week will also include children’s workshops and a series of projects at local schools, involving DAF poets and writers in residence, Adam O’Riordan, Linda Chase, Nicholas Royle and Adele Geras.
The week’s highlights also include a concert, in which pupils from a number of schools will join forces with Manchester Chamber Choir, and a Didsbury Dance event, both taking place at the Parrswood Centre. A closing night charity concert in aid of The Christie Hospital will feature The Manchester Beethoven Orchestra and soloists Hannah Roberts (cello) and Simon Parkin (piano).
All week long, festival-goers can enjoy exhibitions featuring the work of more than 50 local artists at a number of venues, including the Festival Gallery at Emmanuel Church and the ‘Art Over the Counter’ exhibition of work in Didsbury village shops.
Don’t miss the Festival’s opening and closing weekend events which will include music and street theatre at Didsbury Library. Meanwhile, Didsbury’s historic Parsonage Gardens and Fletcher Moss Park will play host to an exciting line-up of street performers and stage acts – from opera to dance and burlesque to just plain batty!
Didsbury Arts Festival 2009 proved a huge success, attracting audiences of over five thousand. With more than eighty events held at forty local venues - bars, parks, churches, schools and even a launderette were called into service to showcase the wealth of artists, writers, musicians, and performers for which Didsbury is justly renowned.
DAF Director, Maria Stripling, said: ‘We have more than 100 events planned for this year, with a number of artists, including MishMash Cabaret, singer Sara Dowling and poet, Chris Jam amongst those making a welcome return to DAF, having wowed audiences last year. We also have a variety of new artists and a packed programme. DAF 2020 should be every bit as enjoyable as last year!’
‘There is just so much talent in Didsbury and the local area of South Manchester and I’d like to thank all the artists, sponsors and local people and organisations who have been so generous with their time and support. Without their help DAF just wouldn’t be possible.’
Free festival programmes are currently available at Didsbury Library and at several local shops and venues. The festival information desk will also be open at the library from 18 September.
A full events programme is listed on the Festival website at:
www.didsburyartsfestival.org All enquiries to: info@didsburyartsfestival.org