St George Fest 2011

Next week the organising committee is going to start looking forward to next year's St George Fest.

We are keen that Hedge End continues to have a focus for celebrating St George's Day and provides a community event in the middle of the long gap between Christmas and Carnival time.

Some feedback has already come through on hedgeendpeople and via direct contact to committee members, but it would be good to know what people think would attract people to the event next year.

In 2009 there was a regency ball, a meal with entertainment, a craft fair, jousting tournament, traditional music sessions and a barn dance.

In 2010 there was a concert of traditional music, an informal social evening with disco and quiz, a family fun day on Greta Park with battle re-enactment, falconry, music, traditional dancing and other entertainments, and a barn dance.

It has been suggested that the family fun day would work better on Sunday rather than Saturday, but in 2011 we have to take into account that St George's Day coincides with Easter, so people might be away, and there are already traditional Easter events in the area.

On the other hand by then Hedge End will have its new 300 seat professional theatre in Wildern Lane which might be available for a St George's Day performance of some kind.

In 2009 events on the Saturday were at different locations - Wildern School, Woodhouse Lane Rec and the Hedge End Club.  This year we managed to get everything together on Greta Park, but the gun and cannon fire was probably too loud for a central location and some people living nearby were upset by the noise.  We need to take that into account when planning next year's events.

We want the events to be as inclusive as possible, as accessible as possible and as enjoyable as possible, so let us know - what did we get right?  - what did we get wrong?  - and what would you like to see next year?