Fantastic Garstang Arts Festival hits the right notes

Hundreds filled out venues around the town for the week-long spectacle which treated audiences to arts and entertainment from the across the North West.

From the roof-raising One Voice Choir to the Gillow Ukuleleans, committee secretary Mary Thornber said the festival had provided ‘something for everyone.’

The 24th event ended with the annual Town Criers’ Competition, inviting town criers from far and wide.

Mary said: “We had a fantastic response and all events were well attended even with some perfromances on the same night.

“It is was important to offer a variety of choice and this year’s performances went down a treat.

“Thankfully the weather was on side for most of the week apart from a short pause in the competition when the heavens opened!”

Contemporary gospel choir One Voice performed at St Thomas’s Church to a packed out audience, tweeting after the event: “What an amazing evening at St Thomas’ Church Garstang tonight. Fantastic singing, dancing audience. Thank you for joining us!”

Other events included Dean Taylor’s Macbeth Speaks, an evening with the Encore Opera, exhibitions, book fairs, lectures and workshops.

Mary added: “One Voice were marvellous and had members up dancing and by the end on stage with the choir. The opera was fantastic and their set worked very well in the Arts Centre. “The Gillow Ukuleleans were also fantastic fun and the interest so good, there are plans to start a new group and this is what is great about the festival, getting people interested in new things.

“We just want to say a massive thank you to all the people who have attended and supported the event.”