This August Bank Holiday, enjoy a full day of top entertainment and activities at Towersey’s Festival Green (Friday 24 to Monday 27 August 2018).
The annual music festival, which takes place in Thame on the Oxon/ Bucks border, offers visitors a taste of the full Towersey experience with a Festival Taster ticket – which can cost less than £25 for a family of five or more!
On the Festival Green, visitors will find a rolling programme of live bands performing well into the evening, as well as strolling performers and leading international entertainers.
These include the colourful The Frumptarn Guggenband, one of the UK's leading Guggen bands, who combine brass, percussion with stunning costumes; Abingdon dance orchestra The Radio Days Big Band, famed for their authentic take on swing music from the 1940s-1960s; and internationally acclaimed street theatre act The Chipolatas, who've been wowing visitors across the world for over 25 years.
There’s also a range of drop-in activities in and around The Creative Quarter, as well as Circus Skills workshops, Slackline School, giant bubbles, hula hoops and a Storytelling Tent, featuring award-winning storytellers.
Plus leading dance troupes, choirs, and roaming street performers, as well as several groups from the local area, including Thame Pop Choir, and dance students from Lord Williams' school.
A myriad of stalls sell everything from hand-crafted musical instruments to unique jewellery and clothing, while various street food outlets is where you’ll find everything from tasty Mexican meals, curries and full English breakfasts, to delicious fudge, tempting desserts and vegan bites.
At the heart of the Green is the Main Bar, which is home to a wide variety of real ales and ciders, from such acclaimed independent brewers as Hook Horton, XT, White Horse, Shotover and Saxbys. Providing the music are a selection of acclaimed bands and artists including Van Susans, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award 2018 nominated Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, William The Conqueror (fronted by singer-songwriter Ruarri Joseph), bluegrass duo Bella Gaffney and Polly Bolton, and Frank Turner-approved songster Harry Pane.
Festival Director Joe Heap said: "Our Festival Taster ticket is the perfect way to enjoy just a taste of what Towersey Festival has to offer, giving visitors an affordable opportunity to see some great bands, and sample our improved range of craft beers and ciders.
"It's fantastic for families too, as there's plenty to keep younger visitors occupied - from engaging adventures told by some of the UK’s best storytellers, to live shows, to drop-in creative and play activities."
Towersey Festival Taster Tickets are £12 (adv) available from Bizzie Lizzie Flower Shop, in Thame, and online; or £15 on the gate. All children (under 16) are free, and car parking is also free. Gates open at 10.30am daily.
But why not upgrade to a Day Ticket and enjoy the entire festival? A Day Ticket to the main festival costs just £40 (adult), £28 (youth), £18 (child) with under-fives free. With a full Day Ticket, visitors can access all the main music stages and savour headline performances from UK country duo The Shires, The Proclaimers, Richard Thompson, Big Country, and Beth Orton. Younger Towersey-goers can also enjoy a complete range of activities as part of Towersey’s All About Children strand, including workshops, crafts, lantern making and lantern procession, as well as film screenings, talks, and dances, while the festival's youth programming spans Big Build projects, performances, drop-in activities, and a dedicated social area.
The 54th Towersey Festival runs from Friday 24 to Monday 27 August 2018 at Thame Showground, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3JL. For tickets and more details see: www.towerseyfestival.com
