Westbury is gearing up for an exciting month of events and entertainment, kicking off with a colourful Italian market, thrills and spills of the Lions Club’s annual donkey derby, culminating in a month-long cultural music and arts festival.
Italia in Piazza
First up will be the chance to enjoy a genuine taste of Italy, as the Italian Market returns to town on Saturday 4th September.
‘Italia in Piazza’ will be held in the Market Place from 8.00am to 5.00pm. There will be 18 special gazebos selling authentic Italian food which has been imported directly from producers in Italy.
With the stall holders being experts on the produce they sell, visitors to the market will be able to get professional advice and information on the produce.
Products for sale include authentic Italian cheese, cured meats, herbs, pasta, olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar as well as biscuits, cakes and pastries.
It is hoped that Italia in Piazza will attract many people, both residents and visitors into the town centre, which will also benefit existing retailers and businesses.
Steve Richardson, markets team leader at Wiltshire Council said, “We hope as many people as possible will take the opportunity to try some of the splendid produce Italia in Piazza have to offer.”
It will be the second visit to the town for the market, after its successful visit last October. The event also follows the French market held in May this year.
Westbury Lions Club
Donkey Derby
The following weekend will see the Westbury Lions’ popular Donkey Derby take place on Sunday 12th September at the White Horse Country Park.
Youngsters who fancy themselves to be the next Frankie Dettori, and are under seven and a half stone and under 14, can just call in to the jockey tent on the day.
Unfortunately the donkeys’ enthusiasm does not always match that of the jockeys who are all local children from around Westbury.
This year’s derby, the fifth annual event, promises to be the biggest and best so far, with many activities running alongside the action. Among the attractions will be a fun fair, mini railway, licensed bar, hot food, bookmaker, tote, and many stalls.
The opening ceremony will be held at 1.00pm with the town mayor, with the first of eight races starting at 1.30pm.
Lions member David Firth said, “The donkeys are fit and ready to go so we should see some good races! We have a lot of attractions this year, so whether you like a flutter, a beer, or the children fancy a go on the fun fair, there will be plenty for young and old!
“It’s a great day for all the family, and all the money raised by the Lions is given to local charities.”
Westbury Music
& Arts Festival –
tickets on sale
Tickets for the Westbury Music and Arts Festival are now on sale.
The month-long festival, which will run from September 17th to October 17th, aims to bring a wide range of cultural events to people in Westbury and the surrounding areas, as well as drawing people to the town.
Tickets can be bought from the Blueberry Cafe (formerly the Wessex bookshop) in the Market Place, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10.00am to 2.00pm. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased using the booking form which can also be picked up from the box office, the library, and from various locations around the town.
Following on the success of last year’s three- day Westbury Music Festival, which was sponsored by the Rotary and Lions Clubs of Westbury, this year’s festival will extend over a period of four weeks.
This year, the festival includes an extensive programme of arts events, sponsored by Matravers School and features exhibitions at the Laverton, many and various craft workshops, poetry reading, life drawing, drama, sculpture and dancing.
Musical events include Sgt Peppers Only Dart Board Band (a Beatles tribute band), the Lee Ingram jazz quintet, Bratton Silver Band, The Great Western Chorus, an Irish folk group, and the Opus One Band. There is also a recital by the concert pianist, John Paul Ekins, and a classical guitar recital by John Mills and Cobie.
A list of events, as well as details on how to book, can be found on the festival website www.wmafestival.co.uk., and tickets will be on sale from 1st September.
The festival committee, which includes members from Westbury Lions, Westbury Rotary, and Matravers School, has been working hard to put the festival together.
Bob Lee, a member of the committee said, “We started working on it in January, and things seem to have snowballed from there! People hear about what we’re doing and want to participate. In particular we’ve got a lot of arts events and workshops, which are mainly being organised by Matravers School.”
The varied festival programme should appeal to a wide audience.
“It brings a lot of culture to Westbury, puts Westbury on the map, and provides people in Westbury with a base to show what they can do,” Bob added.
• Find out more about the festival in the next issue of the White Horse News, which will include a special feature with the programme, features, and updates on events.
