Summer arrives for the Darnhill Festival‏

Summer arrives for the Darnhill Festival‏

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The sun shone down on a lively Darnhill Summer Festival today (Saturday 7 July) as the community came together to celebrate 50 years of the Darnhill Estate.

After yesterday’s torrential weather it looked as if there would be rain on the parade, but it was a backdrop of blue skies for the annual event as temperatures reached the twenties.

The festival kicked off with a glittering gold themed procession which made its way from the Argyle Parade around the estate and back to the festival site. The parade was led by a wonderful piece of artwork called Auto Aukestra – a car which had been taken apart and then reassembled as a percussion instrument.

Back at the festival site there were attractions in and around Darnhill Library and The Yard including live music, MC workshops and performances, samba dancers and craft stalls. It was a feast for the eyes and the ears and an inspiring example of how the arts can bring a community together.

The festival was split into three elements: celebrate the past, which hosted an exhibition in the library; improve the present, which saw a new community garden being officially opened and inspire for the future, which included a ‘beat bang boom’ workshop and MC workshop with local MC Skittles.

The event was organised by Cartwheel Arts, a Heywood organisation which promotes social inclusion, cohesion, diversity and regeneration through community participation in arts projects.

Kerry Bertram works for Cartwheel Arts and the Darnhill Fest Association, she said: “The festival is always amazingly supported by the community. Everybody comes out and helps, there are loads of volunteers who turn up on the day, it’s brilliant.

“The festival was funded by lottery grants scheme Awards for All and many of the workshops have been provided by Changing Gear, a vehicle crime project, and Tell Us Another One, a creative writing project.”

Mitchell Oldham was behind the Auto Aukestra project, he said: “We’ve worked with kids from the local area, kids who may sometimes get into difficulties, and given them an idea of something else they can get involved with.

“We took a car and turned it into a percussion instrument, then painted it gold for the jubilee. The kids, myself and the guys from Kickstart all worked together to design and create the instrument over ten sessions.

“I feel really happy about the whole thing. To see the kids learning how to weld and make a drum kit, it’s amazing. They came up with some really good ideas, ideas that we hadn’t thought of about how to attach things to the car, and that to me was so inspiring. Seeing it being driven around today is the icing on the cake!”

Joan Mackenzie, a resident of Darnhill,  said: “I’ve come every year to the festival and this year I’ve got my own stall.

"We’ve ordered this good weather and it’s turned up!

"It’s great seeing everyone come together, it’s how it was in the old days, everyone’s happy.

"My family are coming from all over the country to be here today, it’s really just a great day.”