Posts Tagged Events

COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Knutsford Events

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COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Knutsford Events

Knutsford Town Council is continually monitoring the latest government advice concerning the spread of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and following yesterday’s (16th March 2020) announcement by the Prime Minister recommending the public avoid social gatherings to limit the spread of the virus, the council is assessing its events programme.

We are closely monitoring government advice day by day and will continue to follow recommended guidelines, including postponing and cancelling events where necessary. We will prioritise public health and make responsible decisions when planning events to protect the general public, our volunteers and staff.

The Mayor’s Ball planned for Saturday 21st March has been postponed to 18th September.

The Knutsford Bunny Hop is the next event organised by the Town Council currently scheduled for 11th April; we will monitor the advice over the coming days and make a decision as to whether it is feasible and responsible to continue with this event within the next two weeks.

We have decided to shelve our planned VE Day celebrations scheduled to take place on 8th May. This event was particularly looking to bring the younger and older members of our community together and we have noted the advice that those aged over 70 stay at home for the next 12 weeks. We are hopeful that we will be able to reinstate this event at a later date as a celebratory event on the Moor and we will seek to identify a suitable alternative date for this event as the situation develops.

Our next major event is our annual Knutsford Music Festival. This event is not scheduled to take place until 12th-14th June and as such we are aiming to hold off making a final decision until the end of April. We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves over the coming weeks. This is a hugely popular event and we will be cautious as we proceed, however do not wish to cancel the event until a clearer picture of the situation emerges. If we are unable to proceed as scheduled, we will seek to re-arrange the festival for later in the year. In the event that the festival is cancelled or re-scheduled and you cannot attend on the new dates, full refunds will be offered to everyone who has purchased tickets. Ticket-holders for cancelled events will be contacted with details of future dates or to process refunds.

We would like to thank everyone for your patience as we work hard to minimise disruption during this tough time and we will continue to keep the public updated with our plans as we proceed.

If you would like more information, you can contact the Events Officer at alex.brown@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk.

Other Event Cancellations

The following non-council events have been cancelled:

  • Knutsford Beer Festival, 23rd – 25th April
  • Knutsford Royal May Day, Saturday 2nd May
  • Knutsford Fair on The Heath, 1st – 11th May

Details as to whether the monthly Makers Markets will continue will follow.

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Mayor leads Civic Sunday

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Town Mayor Cllr Peter Coan welcomed dignitaries from across the county for his Civic Parade and Service on Sunday.  The parade was led by Rode Hall Silver Band who played various marches as the parade walked from King Street car park to Princess Street to Knutsford Methodist Church, announcing the arrival of the new Mayor to Knutsfordians.

Revd Rob Cotton gave a service which emphasised the importance of community service, support and volunteering. The Mayor opened the service with a short prayer and Cllr Andrew Malloy, Deputy Mayor and Cadet Max Risley the Mayor’s Cadet both gave readings during the service. The service featured a short video that was produced to showcase the work of their onsite Friendship Café for dementia sufferers.  The congregation of Knutsford Methodist Church welcomed the civic guests to their church and church volunteers helped organise the service and refreshments. 

Cllr Peter Coan said: “The weather was ideal for the parade and I was delighted that many notables from the town as well as so many Civic Dignitaries from Cheshire were able to join us.  They all looked resplendent in their chains.  The Civic Parade was rousingly led by Rode Hall Silver Band.  Thank you to Reverend Rob Cotton for leading an uplifting service on the theme of service to the community and helping others.”

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Second Music Festival declared a success

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Months of preparation, glorious sunshine and the support of a BBC broadcaster helped make Knutsford Music Festival a big success at the weekend.

Knutsford Town Council hosted the event for the second year with more than 40 events in 18 venues.

Headliner Miles Hunt performed at The Courthouse on Saturday which had people off their seats and dancing before the end of the show.

The 200-year-old former crown court was a new venue for the festival which has recently been transformed into a restaurant, hotel and community function space.

Meanwhile, Mark Radcliffe hosted three folk nights and even performed himself at Knutsford’s Little Theatre to packed crowds.

The Radio 2 and 6 Music DJ usually presents the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage during the festival but was able to lend his support due to Glastonbury’s ‘fallow year’.

He brought a number of BBC Folk Award winners and nominees to the town including Mike McGoldrick, Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar and Pilgrims’ Way.

Mark said: “We had three nights of amazing music and copious imbibing of session ale at the Little Theatre and I feel proud of what we achieved.

“I want to thank everyone at the theatre, all the council staff and volunteers who helped so much, all the artists who appeared for reduced fees.

“But mostly to the people of Knutsford who came out and supported us as we try to build live music as part of what the town has to offer.”

Also new for 2018 was family friendly music activities on The Moor including an eclectic range of acoustic performances, drumming workshops and a singalong with Elsa from Disney’s Frozen which was well attended in the sunshine.

On top of that there was a blues night with the acclaimed duo Mat Walklate and Tom Attah and classical and choral performances including an evening with Halle Brass as part of Knutsford Music Festival’s emphasis on providing something for everybody.

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A Classical Spectacular at Knutsford Music Festival

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A classical spectacular is taking place over three days in June as part of the second annual Knutsford Music Festival.

The event, organised by Knutsford Town Council in partnership with local venues, will see performances by Vale Royal String Orchestra, Tatton Singers, Hallé Brass and Royal Northern College of Music’s Zerbina Duo.

The concerts will be held throughout the town centre with Vale Royal String Orchestra playing at St Cross Church on June 22, Tatton Singers on stage at St John’s Church on June 23 and Hallé Brass and the Zerbina Duo at The Courthouse’s new function room on June 24.

It is part of a wider, weekend-long celebration of music in Knutsford between June 22 and 24.

Vale Royal String Orchestra with oboist Debbie Fuller will perform an eclectic programme including Cimarosa’s oboe concerto, a Divertimento by Mozart, Percy Grainger’s Molly on the Shore, Janacek’s Idyll Suite and a selection from Copland’s ballet score, Rodeo.

The orchestra, which formed in 1993 and is conducted by Richard Adamson, brings together experienced amateur and professional musicians who perform regularly throughout the year to support charities and community events.

Tatton Singers formed in 1976 in Knutsford. Their current 78 members perform traditional choral works and lesser known pieces. Under the guidance of musical director John Powell, who has been with the choir since 2005, Tatton Singers have a wide repertoire of works by classical composers.

Formed in 1965, Hallé Brass are one of the foremost brass ensembles in the UK formed primarily from principal members of the internationally renowned Hallé Orchestra.The group is also one of the oldest brass quintets in the world that played a leading role in the development of this format of chamber music. In the early years, Hallé Brass gave premieres by eminent composers such as John McCabe, Joseph Horovitz and Edward Gregson.

They will be joined by harpist Becki McIlroy and violinist Rebecca Howell, who are known as the Zerbina Duo. Becki is a music graduate from The University of Manchester, currently studying for her master’s degree at the Royal Northern College of Music. Recently she performed with the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra alongside comedians Jason Manford and John Bishop at The Bridgewater Hall. Rebecca is currently a postgraduate student at the Royal Northern College of Music.

In March 2016, Rebecca, who also leads the Florestan String Quartet, was awarded first prize in Durham’s inaugural Soloists Competition and went on to perform Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No 3 with the University Palatine Orchestra on their summer tour to Paris.

Sarah Morgan, Deputy Town Clerk at Knutsford Town Council, said: “We’re really looking forward to presenting this diverse range of classical concerts.

“These performers are among the most respected in the north west and in the case of the Hallé they are internationally acclaimed.

“For many, it will be their first opportunity to see The Courthouse’s beautiful and newly refurbished function room and we’re delighted to once again be working with Knutsford’s churches and their cherished community spaces.

“St Cross and St John’s have been instrumental in helping us put together this programme of classical concerts by organising their own events with local musicians and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution to the festival.”

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, March 1, and will be priced at £12 with concessions available.

Tickets for the Halle Brass and Tatton Singers will be available through Ticket Tailor and The Tatton Singers tickets can also be purchased from 01565 650641

For all other ticket enquiries, please call Knutsford Town Council on 01565 653929 and follow the Knutsford Music Festival Facebook for ticket and event updates.

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New Events Forum Launched

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Cllr James Power and Cllr Andrew Malloy - Knutsford TOB

Cllr James Power and Cllr Andrew Malloy – Knutsford TOB

Event organisers in Knutsford are being invited to attend a new forum hosted by the Town Council. The Knutsford Events Forum is being introduced as an opportunity for those organising public events in the town to share information, skills and experience.

The Town Council recognised that with the demise of the Promote Knutsford Forum in 2016 the town was lacking a regular avenue for event organisers to meet, discuss plans and deliver a more cohesive approach to the town’s events. Convened by the Chairman of the Town Council’s own Events Committee, Cllr Andrew Malloy, the forum is being trialled as an opportunity to provide this.

Andrew said, “Knutsford’s vibrant events calendar contributes greatly to making the town such a special place to live.”

“The aim of this forum is to make it easier for everyone organising events in the town through sharing of experience and knowledge and providing a networking opportunity for event planners”.

Whilst invitations have gone out to a number of community organisations involved in events in Knutsford, such as the Knutsford Promenades, Knutsford Heritage Centre and the Knutsford Lions, the forum is open to both existing event organisers and those with ideas for potential new events in the town.

“We hope that the forum will help take some of the headache out of organising events and signpost organisers to other organisations who can help make their events an even bigger success” Andrew added.

The forum will also help the Town Council as it begins to develop an annual events guide, launching in 2018.

The first meeting of the forum takes place on Wednesday 4th October at 6pm in the Town Council Offices.

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Christmas Weekend 2014

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Christmas comes to Knutsford this weekend (29th/30th) with the annual Christmas weekend organised by the Town Council.

Christmas Market

Knutsford Christmas Market returns on Saturday 29th (12 noon to 7pm) and Sunday 30th (11am to 5pm) along Princess Street. The market includes an array of traders from Knutsford and Cheshire offering delicious foods and great gift ideas.

“We have a handpicked selection of some of the best local food and drink artisans for a fantastic Christmas offering” said Town Clerk, Adam Keppel-Garner. “From macarons to cheese, local gin to local beer and a whole host of other tasty treats there really is something for everyone”.

The market will also feature great gift ideas and decorations “we have some incredibly talented artists and crafters at the market making it the perfect place to get some unique Christmas cards, Wreaths or find the perfect handmade gift” Adam added.

The market, which aims to bring footfall to the town centre and kick of the festive season in style will feature live entertainment and has been designed to complement the existing retail in Knutsford. Northwest Funfairs will be at the market with a traditional funfair on Princess Street car park (behind Waitrose). The Indoor Market will also be open for the duration of the Market.

Best of the Market

Visitors to the market on Saturday can be in with a chance of winning the “Best of the Market” thanks to Town Mayor, Cllr Neil Forbes. The raffle; in which one lucky entrant will win a huge selection of donated prizes from each of the market traders raises funds for the Mayor’s Charity and Good Cause, Knutsford GROW and St John’s Wood Lunch Club. Last year the prize was valued at over £300.

“Traders have been extremely generous and have donated some amazing prizes – the winner will be very lucky and all entrants will have helped raise money for two extremely worthy causes” said Town Mayor, Cllr Forbes.

Christmas Lights Switch On

A superb array of entertainment has been lined up for Saturday 29th from 4pm in Canute Place for the switching on of the Christmas lights. Silk 106.9 FM return to present the evening which will feature acts such as Rock Choir Knutsford, LIPA 4:19, Tatton Singers, Rokit Performing Arts, local band Three Wise Men, school choirs as well as the under 16s category winner of Knutsford has the Talent Factor.

Switching on the lights is Knutsford resident BBC Radio 2 and Radio 6 DJ Mark Radcliffe. Mark who is the recipient of 8 Sony Gold Awards also presents Glastonbury coverage for the BBC alongside Lauren Laverne and Jo Whiley.

“We are really excited about this year’s event and have a great line up of entertainment. Santa, the Mayor and Royal May Queen will all be on stage to help switch on the lights with our special guest, Mark Radcliffe. We are working alongside Knutsford based Event Buddha this year who will be adding some special Christmas Magic to Canute Place” said Deputy Town Clerk, Lisa Benskin.

The entertainment runs from 4pm until 7pm with the actual switch on around 6:30pm.

Santa and his trusted reindeer will parade up King Street on Saturday 29th at 4pm heading along into Minshull Street and finally Canute Place where Santa will greet the children. His reindeer, getting ready for the big day, will be held in a pen on Canute Place to enjoy the entertainment on stage.

Crib Service

The annual crib service will be held on Sunday 30th at 4pm outside the Old Town Hall. Mereside Brass will be performing 5 Christmas Carols chosen by the Mayor and everyone is welcome to join in the short service and carol singing.

Following the blessing of the crib, the new lighting display on the trees outside the Old Town Hall will be switched on. “The new display looks fantastic and will be a great culmination to the Christmas weekend” said Tony Dean, Chairman of the council Events committee.

“The Christmas Weekend is a highlight of the town calendar and we hope that everyone has a great time.”

Road Closures

To enable the Christmas Weekend events to take place safely, road closures will be in place across the weekend. On Saturday 29th November there will be a rolling road closure along King St from 3.45pm to 4.30pm to enable Santa and his reindeer to parade through the town.

Canute Place will be closed from 12 noon to 8pm on Saturday to enable the stage to be set up for the Light Switch On.

Princess Street will close from 7am to 8pm on Saturday 29th and from 6am to 7pm on Sunday 30th for the Christmas Market.

If you have any queries about the Christmas Weekend please call 01565 635929 and speak to Lisa or Adam.

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Lantern Parade

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Lisa Benskin Lantern

Deputy Town Clerk, Lisa Benskin, with her Lantern for the parade!

Knutsford Town Council is launching a new Christmas event for 2014 and would love you to be involved! The Town’s first Lantern Parade will be taking place from 4pm on Saturday 6th December starting from St Cross Church. The event ties in with the Christmas Tree Festival giving those taking part an opportunity to enjoy both family friendly events!

The parade will proceed through the Moor, King St, Minshull Street, Canute Place, Princess Street and Church Hill before finishing back on the Moor and will be an opportunity for Knutsfordians to get into the Christmas spirit and fit in some Christmas shopping at the Town’s retailers.

Two free Lantern Making Workshops have also been arranged to accompany the event to get the whole community involved or if you prefer to make a lantern at home, you can find instructions here. The workshops are being held on Saturday 22nd November from 10am to 1pm at Jubilee Hall, Stanley Road and on Saturday 6th December from 10am to 1pm at the Welcome, Longridge. Those wanting to attend either of the workshops must book in advance as places are limited.

Manor Park Primary School and Poppies Day Nursery have already got behind the event and will be making lanterns with their students for them to take along on the night.

Deputy Town Clerk, Lisa Benskin said “this is a fantastic opportunity for families to enjoy a Christmas craft activity and then come along to the parade on the 6th December and show off their fantastic willow lanterns as we light up the Knutsford night sky. If successful the hope is that this could become an annual event for the Town so the more people that get involved the better!”

For more details about the Lantern Parade, to register the interest of your group or school in taking part or to book a place at one of the Workshops contact Lisa Benskin on 01565 653929 or email lisa.benskin@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

Photograph courtesy of the Knutsford Guardian

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