Rain can't stop dancing in the square as festival opens
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All the photos taken on Saturday evening can be found on the bridport n0tice Facebook page: www.facebook.com/bridportn0tice
bridport n0tice reporter Stephen Banks braved the weather to get photographs of the hardy individuals who enjoyed the live music in the rain.
The Beaminster Festival will never get beaten by bad weather.
That was the defiant vow from organisers as the extravaganza opened with a Dancing in the Square concert and was later hit by pouring rain.
The Saturday night curtain raiser included sets by the Raucous Chorus, Dan Tolman, DT8 and King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys.
Festival director Tanya Bruce-Lockhart said: “In spite of threatening projections of rain, wind and floods, the opening event in the Square on Saturday evening got going with the sun still high in the sky.
“The Raucous Chorus made their debut and were a fantastic success.
“Put together by a group of lively ladies of the Beaminster WI, you don’t have to read music or have perfect pitch to be part of a choir which is now 168 members strong. “Under the musical direction of Jenny Broom, the guys and girls sang their hearts out and got the festival off to a great start.”
“Storm clouds started to gather mid-evening but this did not deter an audience of some 750 who gathered together to enjoy music of all kinds.” She added: “The rains came late into the evening but this did not deter people dancing to the music of DT8 and the brilliant King Pleasure and The Biscuit Boys.”
The festival continues this week with highlights including an illustrated talk by writer and broadcaster Humphrey Burton about his late friend Ken Russell, music of yesteryear from the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra and a Picnic in the Park in the grounds of Beaminster Manor.
Visit beamfest.org.uk, call 01308 862 943 and email beamfestbooking@btinternet.com for more information and tickets.
