Blisworth Festival 2010

The prototype for this festival, full name "Blisworth Canal Festival" because it was organised by the Canal Partnership, was the 25th anniversary celebrations in 2009 for the successful completion of repairs to Blisworth Tunnel.  It was resolved, towards the end of those celebrations that Blisworth should have a summer festival every year.  The Canal Partnership was the natural choice as group organiser because, once again, quite a bit of the focus for activities was to be the Wharf and the towpath.  But this time a few extra venues were to be whole-heartedly committed to joining in the fun.  The energy of Jan Andrews, being the most noticeable agent in the village in organising the event, was the tip of a "well- oiled team" including Alan Andrews, Paul Chapman and Sarah Kirkpatrick.  They proved that the community can have a festival like this every year.  Jan noticed in the final run up to the weekend that "people were diving into hedges to avoid meeting her".

The run up to the Festival was covered by a dedicated website, http://www.blisworthfestival.co.uk/, which will stay open for feedback after the event.  The event spanned a Friday evening and a whole weekend, August 6th to 8th.  "On the days", the whole thing was a great success.  On Friday Tad Newton's Jazz Friends filled the Chapel Area with pleasant 'trad' music thanks to a warmish breeze that induced them to prop open the door to the Lecture Room.  They were backed up by chilli served in the Coffee Room with a bar laid on by the Royal Oak.  On the Saturday food was again available not only at the Coffee Room but also at the Royal Oak and down on the wharf where "Chase", the local duo, was singing.  Again, there were bars opened by the Royal Oak.  The village coped well thanks to extra car parking opened up to accommodate visitors.  Even a field, with crop already harvested thanks to the recent drought, was available near to the wharf.  There was even a pig-roast at the Royal Oak this time though some bemoaned the possibility it surely couldn't have been quite a whole pig for it sold out rather quickly.

Our retired resident doctor, Derek Bull, gave us an amusing account of his early work since graduating through medical school nearly 60 years ago.  He slanted his account, as at first a junior partner but later the senior partner of the doctors' practice in the village, towards dealing with patients, always tricky, rather than medical matters.  "Children were the champion doctor-haters whilst visiting gypsies preferred the district nurse at Gayton, Nurse Edwards, for all troubles and boat-people preferred Sister Mary at Stoke Bruerne.  When you finally met them you have an inckling that they are seriously troubled by health.  A few lived in caravans or in a particularly memorable campervan below which three angry Alsatians were cooped up in compartment with a trap-door in the van floor.  I stood on the trap-door but fled as soon as I could!"  He offered a very brief history of Sister Mary's life and work.  His account and a couple of photographs have been added to the website here.  

There were boat outings to the tunnel mouth and to Blisworth Arm on the trip boat "Elizabeth of Glamis" from Cosgrove.  'Glamis also ran a trip to Bugbrooke on Saturday evening that was thoroughly enjoyable.  It included a reasonably priced bar and pleasant music and demonstrated the calming side of living in Blisworth.  The return was in darkness and the walk along the towpath afterwards revealed that a band and bar was still going strong at the wharf at 10.30pm whilst the pub was also being well-attended.  Sunday was very well attended and it is to be hoped that the stall-holders have found the venue of sufficient interest to them.

The weekend activities served well to illustrate that liquid lubricant still encourages sociability in enough village residents - cheers!

There were almost countless stalls scattered through the village, on the towpath, at the Wharf, at the Royal Oak "green", in the Village Hall, the Chapel Lecture Room and even in the barn at the Royal Oak.  Second hand books and items of costume jewelry were to the fore.  There was a "cheese boat" and a restored "Raymond" and a display by the Buckingham Canal Society, there were some antiques, some modern cards, an artistic photographer and a lace-making demonstration, the Blisworth Art Group stall, some wood-turned artistic pieces and a couple of displays of the "Rose & Castles" crafts.  There was even a little paddock set out with a commando course for dogs - a tunnel, a few jumps and limbo bar and a "beam" but few dogs were that keen - too well fed on "Chum" perhaps judging by some of our pavements (gee, thanks visitors).  There was not only the frivolous (a bouncy castle and some face painting) but also the serious which included displays by the organisers of the Community Parish Plan, the village Heritage Society and, of course, the Canal Partnership.  However, the proliferation of bars around the village made such seriousness quite an effort for one or two of us!  The Heritage Society is always game for showing us something new that has historical significance gleaned from the odd cupboard or even an unlikely wardrobe  - this time there were 1911 plans of the school that have now been placed here on the website.  Finally thanks must go to the hospitality offered at the Church - the cakes were wonderful and the tea and coffee just what was needed.  There was a mock-up miniature Church Bell Tower demonstration in the churchyard which convinced some that a ten year old, given the right height box, has far more learning capability for bell-ringing than one seven times older.  There was also a slide show covering the refurbishment of the Church bells in 2004.  At teatime on Sunday the Church group were getting ready to fill the High Street with "Songs of Praise".

There are a few more details to report; the take-up of the "Breakfast for Boaters" at the Chapel Coffee Room on Sunday morning was very good and attendance was well worth the effort at many of the thirteen "open gardens" on Sunday though many visitors must have missed altogether the allotments with its preserves, produce and plants stalls.

Below for the record, there are extracts from the excellent booklet programme distributed for the benefit of villagers and visitors.