News
Parade to travel across world
STITCHERS, stickers and nimble- fingered knitters are working furi- ously to make this year’s Maidstone parade a big success. The parade, which takes place in
the town centre on Saturday July 4, will involve more than 20 walking groups from schools, churches, char- ities, youth and community groups, accompanied by choirs and bands. This year’s parade, which sits be-
tween two weekend events for the Maidstone Arts Festival, has the theme “Around the World”. Participants at a “no sew” costume workshop learnedhowtomakesim- ple outfits using staple guns, sticky tape and fabrics from rag bags and charity shops. The workshops, run by Sue Pritchard and Diane Sergeant, were offered free to parade participants. JoWarren, a teaching assistant at Archbishop Courtenay School, Tovil, who was learning how to make an elaborate headdress from a piece of cardboard, said: “Pupils in years 5 and 6 are studying the Mayan civilisation, so the parade is not just helping us with our geogra-
phy and history, but making the cos- tumes means we can use our nu- meracy for measuring materials.” Retired art design teacher Sue,
who taught for 19 years at Swade- lands School in Lenham, runs the Can’t Sew Club along with Diane, from Bearsted, to encourage people to try their hand at crafts. They also run a Knit’n’Stitch group, which meets on the second Saturday of the month at the Nucleus Cafe, in Gabriels Hill. Sponsors are now being sought
from businesses and organisations in the borough. The parade and the arts festival
are organised by the Maidstone TownTeam. Details can be found on theirwebsite and Facebook page. The day will be given a rousing send-off when Maidstone Choral Union unites in song from 7.30pm. Carmina Burana, will be pre-
sented by the choir at All Saints’ Church. The choir will also be singing a selection of American songs to mark Independence Day. Tickets, for £12, from Freda Crispin on 01622 726193.
downsmail.co.uk
Art festival promises a jolly good yarn
MAIDSTONE is set to be blitzed by a summer of yarn bombing! As their contribution to this year’s Maidstone Arts Festival, dozens of knit-
ters are planning to decorate the town centre. Organiser Zoe Sparkle said the group considered putting up the more tra- ditional bunting, but this would have proved costly to buy. Instead, more than 40 people have spent weeks knitting and crocheting
itemsto be displayed. “Yarn bombing has
been done very suc- cessfully around the country and we have beenwanting to do it for a while in Maid- stone,” said Zoe. “The arts festival seemed the perfect opportu- nity.” The festival takes
place from noon to 5pmin Jubilee Square on Saturday, June 27 and Saturday, July 11. OnJune 27, artists include Invicta Jazz Orchestra, the JavaJamJazz Band,
Energize Choir, the Folkestone-based Indie/Rock Skies Band and a JAG dance performance entitled The Giant Balloon Experiment. OnJuly 11, there is the chance to see the upcoming bandCoco&The But-
terfields, the festi-funk jazz sextet The Fabulous Red Diesel, live graffiti and Kent-based Rhonda and the Great Unknown. Therewill also be street magic, dramatic interludes fromTheatretrain, and
the USA street dance crew Yak (You Already Know). The festival, now in its third year, is supported by the Town Team, Maid- stone Council and the Town Centre Management.
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