Submitted by: Staff Writer After 14 years of deafening silence, the Walthamstow Village Festival returns this August in new colours. The Asian Centre, […]By wfechoadmin
A stall at Walthamstow Village Festival in its previous incarnation
Submitted by: Staff Writer
After 14 years of deafening silence, the Walthamstow Village Festival returns this August in new colours. The Asian Centre, based in Orford Road, is leading the organisation of 2014’s revived festival, which takes placed on August 2nd.
Monwara Ali from the Centre explains that the aim is “to bring the whole community together to reflect pride in the area and to celebrate diversity.”
In its previous incarnation, The Village Festival was a hugely successful event for many years bringing local businesses, community groups, artists and musicians together. People travelled from surrounding boroughs and Essex to take part.
“It was like a mini-Glastonbury,” says Helen from the Village Toy Shop, who was in her early twenties when it was last on.
There were people lying in the sunshine enjoying the music. Flossie of the Nags Head on Orford Road, who at past Village Festivals ran a cat stall, says the event was a little like Notting Hill Carnival. “Anyone I had ever met in my lifetime in the area was there,” she said.
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There are many stories about why the Village Festival ended – divorce, money being stolen, properties broken into, residents complaining of the noise and litter. Consensus seems to be that it just became too massive and therefore out of control. The village has changed hugely since the last festival, with most shops having changed hands and many new residents in the area.
There will be an indoor Makers’ Market inside the Asian Centre building and food and other stalls all along Orford Road and Vestry Road. The car parking area in front of Trelawney Close will be set up as a Children’s Area. The Vestry House Museum as well as the Welcome Centre on Vestry Road will be open to the public in support of the Festival. A Stage will be set up within the Vestry Playground, with a line up of 30 artists performing throughout the event.
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