What to look forward to in 2010

Indie rockers Absent Kid and Cav OK are just two of the region’s top bands that will grace the main stage at the 2010 Wivenhoe May Fair on Monday 31st May.

They will be joined by the highly rated Fooled By Chance, alternative pop-rockers The Rascos and surf-guitar band Surfquake. In addition, flying in from Sweden to rock the crowd are the Tequila Girls.

Appearing on the ever popular acoustic stage are the unmissable Ragged String Band, ex-Fuzz Face front man Ady Johnson and his band, acoustic aficionados Ellie Cornell and all girl band Lady Bird & the Larks playing original satirical songs with vocal harmonies.

The local talent pool has also provided the acoustic stage with sets from Wivenhoe Folk Club and up and coming 15 year old singer songwriter star Lou Terry. Finishing the afternoon will be folk rockers Murphy’s Lore who played a stomping set to a packed tent of revellers last year.

New for 2010 will be the festival’s cycle-powered cinema tent showcasing the work of independent film makers. The cinema will show over 10 films, shorts and animated works including contributions from local film makers in the form of The Stolen Destiny, a fantasy tale directed and written by Bethan Morgan and Heightfever, an animated film by Graham Fitzgerald.

Transition Wivenhoe will also be showing The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard and Re-Cycle about Colchester's recycled bikes to Africa charity. In addition the Animation Dept of the Royal College of Arts is to screen What Light (Through Yonder Window Breaks) by Sarah Wickens, I Hear What You Are Saying by Lottie White, Wolves by Rafael Sommerhalder, Dark Island by Jons Mellgren, Passing by Seong Jun Lee and Norwich to Sherringham by Bali Engel.

Both children and adults will be well catered for during the day. The obligatory beer tent will be selling real ales and cider and wide range of food will be available. Market stalls, workshops, circus acts, a bouncy castle, face painting and other activities for children will keep the whole family busy. The popular healing area will also return to enable visitors to try a range of alternative therapies. Also keep a look out for the Sonic Manipulator, a musical space traveller, and Obby Oss, a wandering comedy street performance.

MAIN STAGE

Fooled by Chance
The Rascos
Surfquake
Absent Kid
Cav OK
Tequila Girls

ACOUSTIC STAGE

Wivenhoe Folk Club
Lou Terry
Ellie Cornell
Ragged String Band
Lady Bird & the larks
Ady Johnson
Murphy’s Lore

CINEMA STAGE

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard
Re-Cycle (about Colchester's recycled bikes to Africa charity)
The Stolen Destiny - a fantasy tale directed and written by Bethan Morgan
Heightfever - an animated film by Graham Fitzgerald
What Light (Through Yonder Window Breaks) by Sarah Wickens
I Hear What You Are Saying by Lottie White
Wolves by Rafael Sommerhalder
Dark Island by Jons Mellgren
Passing by Seong Jun Lee
Norwich to Sherringham by Bali Engel
Milkman by James Rumsey
My Home is my Shoes by Deborah Anzalone
Turning the Tides by Sorchia Anglun
Back to the Fuchia by Toby Roberts featuring the voice of John Cooper Clarke
Love at the Garden Gate short film made in and around Wivenhoe about finding love in the least expected places by Toby Roberts
Smack Heads a documentary made for Anglia Television about the changing face of traditional sailing on the East Coast by Toby Roberts
Swamp Thang a music promo for Colchester-based band NuBlues by Toby Roberts
Hooba Hooba a music promo for UK solo artist Tara Chinn by Toby Roberts
The One About the Sheep by Toby Roberts How do you tell someone you love that you have been intimate with a farm animal?
Wivenhoe: taking up the arts by Toby Roberts. Mockumentary featuring the famous transvestite bookshop ladies

Entrance is free but donations are requested for charity.

TRAVEL ADVICE

A train service is running as normal this year. The Sunday timetable will operate on May Fair day, with hourly trains (slightly retimed from normal), at 43 minutes past each hour from Colchester North station, 36 minutes past each hour from Clacton, and 30 minutes past each hour from Walton. Return trains from Wivenhoe to Colchester leave at 56 minutes past each hour, to Clacton / Walton at 50 minutes past each hour. Trains are stopping at Alresford and Great Bentley (not at Hythe and Weeley). London trains are running between Clacton and Shenfield only (at the normal Sunday times) with replacement buses west of Shenfield.

A Sunday 61A/62/74/78 bus service will operate. In previous years the bus service has been disrupted during the afternoon owing to the main roads becoming blocked by parked cars and congestion.

There is no parking at the event site. Those coming by car via Colchester Road should not proceed down The Avenue but should turn off before Wivenhoe Cross and seek parking on side roads in upper Wivenhoe, and walk from there to the event. Alternatively there is space available on side roads in the Claremont Road area, which should be approached from Colchester via Brightlingsea Road and Keelars Lane. Please do not park in The Avenue, Belle Vue Road, the High Street, or Station Road. When you park please ensure that your car is not blocking the highway or residents' driveways.