Family fun and world class entertainment are coming to town at this year’s Festival of Wonder which starts on Friday 21st November at St Laurence Church, the Stroud Centre for Peace and the Arts, in the town centre, focusing on themes of wonder and hope for a better world.
Now in its fourth year, this amazing free weekend offers Wonder for everyone, from bouncing babies, young people, parents and for every generation beyond.
This year’s world class artists include aerial and acrobatic stars of the West End show ‘Come Alive’ Klondi and Yann; champion juggler Gordon Marquez returning to the festival by popular demand; marvellous stage magician Marco Cardoso; the hilarious circus entertainer Thomas Trilby; and Stroud’s very own stilt walker and juggler The Magnificent Mr Kai to name but a few. The UK’s favourite clown, Tweedy, joins the festival as part of the ticketed Gala event on the Saturday evening.
The free main circus show, ‘The Briar and the Bramble’, written and directed by Andy Bewley and Tatiana Ozhiganova is repeated at 12pm and 3pm on Saturday 22nd. No tickets are required but please be prepared to queue for a short time as access is on a first come, first served basis.
There are also two free Relaxed Performances of the show on Friday to get the festival off to a flying start; tickets need to be booked.
School of Larks will be showcasing the talents of local and regional aerialists, dancers and spoken word artists on Friday evening at a special free cabaret evening ‘Whispers and Wings’. And artists appearing on Saturday include the Painswick Community Choir and popular dance troupe Ambitions returning for the fourth time, as well as Thomas Trilby and The Magnificent Mr Kai with a cast of clowns and acrobats getting the free community day off to a flying start at 10am with Circus and Coffee.
During the festival there’s the Under 5’s Play, a popular Craft Area and, for those seeking a more refined sense of wonder, a visit to The Secret Garden reflective zone and the interactive Wall of Wonder gives a break from the hustle and bustle of the wider festival. A special photography exhibition, In Search of Wonder, curated by local artist Bill Crooks, showcases and connects the different experiences of wonder between young people from Stroud and Tamil Nadu in India.
To add to the wonderful atmosphere, this year the church will be transformed into a magical woodland wonderland, with hundreds of leaves designed and created by primary school children from schools across the district. Once the wonder bug has caught you and you’ve worked up a thirst or an appetite, there’s a free café, an evening bar and hot food provided on Saturday afternoon by community chef Sam Angelo.
On Sunday afternoon there’s a range of workshops for different ages including Circus Skills (run by School of Larks), FamProv (family fun led by Andy Bewley), Zoom into Nature (with Stroud Valleys Project) and Creative Writing. Places are limited and further info and tickets can be obtained on the festival’s website.
The spectacular Finale: Circus of the Soul at 6pm on Sunday 23rd features Bristol’s Renewal Gospel Choir, aerialist Aimee Rose Bennett and some surprise guests. This free show is expected to be extremely popular, so tickets are required but are free and available on the festival’s website on a first come, first served basis.
Tickets are going fast for the Gala evening on Saturday 22nd which includes the only appearance of Tweedy the Clown as well as a special performance of ‘The Briar and the Bramble’ circus show and singer-songwriter Asha McCarthy. Choose and book your seat at www.festivalofwonder.org/tickets
“Mark your calendars now and come down into Stroud town centre for all the fun of the circus,” says festival producer Phil Coysh. “Enjoy the WONDERful atmosphere as the community comes together to wonder and hope for ‘a better world our hearts know is possible’.”
Full details, tickets and timings at www.festivalofwonder.org
