Town July 2016

News

downsmail.co.uk Festival line-up is revealed

THE county town of Kent will be full of colour as local groups come together for a Summer Festival. Shops have been asked to deck out

their windows in the brightest of colours as singers, dancers, artists and a host of other entertainers take to the streets on Saturday, July 2, for a bumper celebration of local talent. Three Samba bands, three dance schools, singers, school groups and baton twirlers areamongartistswho have already promised to take part in displays at venues around the town. And, just the same as last year, the Downs Mail is proud to be the com- munity event’s official media part- ner.

The festival will take place at ven-

ues around the town centre, includ- ing Jubilee Square and Brenchley Gardens, with all-day entertainment offering fun for all the family. Maidstone Baton Twirlers will be

joined by Bloco Fogo, Old School Samba and the MaidstoneGrammar School Samba Band Baterias Not In- cluded, and seven local bands are taking part, including headline acts Get Inuit, Hobo Jones and the Junk- yard Dogs, Rhonda and the Great Unknownand the popular local folk band Larkspur. Much of the action will take place

THE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

Jubilee Square Noon Bloco Fogo 12.15 Clea Llewellyn Trio 1.15 The Big Sing 1.30 Daniel Son 2pm No Limit Street Band 2.50 Baterias Not Included 3.15 Get Inuit Brenchley Gardens Noon The Big Sing 12.30 Vocademy 1pm Larkspur

1.45 Fryday Academy 2pm Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs 3pm Rhonda and the Great Unknown

FremlinWalk 12.30 The Big Sing 1pm Fryday Academy 1.45 Maidstone Baton Twirlers 2pm Old School Samba 2.30 Vocademy Albion, St Faith’s Street

Players pull in picnic crowd

THE inclement summer weather did not deter healthy audiences attending the LeedsAmateur Dra- matic Society (LADS) open-air Plays and Picnics event. Held at the Old Vicarage, owned by Alastair and Sarah Pol- lock, about 90 people enjoyed two performances on June 17 and 18. On Friday evening, it was time

for brollies at the ready but the weather stayed dry for the Satur- day performances. The first, Perilous Tales by Bar-

bara Hockley, gave Young LADS the chance to show off their acting skills. They comprised Maidstone Grammar pupil Angus Poulter, Sophie Aujard, of Leeds, and EmilyWallace and Joseph Irvine, both from Maidstone. They all had to fit in a schedule

of rehearsals and performances aroundAand A/S levels. Perilous Tales was directed by

Lesley Finlay, of Leeds,whoapol- ogised to their parents for inter- rupting their studies. The second playwas a comedy, Neighbourhood Watch by Liz Dobson, and starred Tina Chap- man and Jane Steele of Leeds, Adrian and Yvette Lovis, from Maidstone, Lesley Finlay and Lenham resident Mervyn Hughes.

24 Maidstone Town July 2016 It was directed by Bearsted’s

David Hoxey and prompted by Bernie Hughes. Liz Dobson, who has family in Dartford, travelled from Sheffield to watch her play being per- formed in Leeds. LADS are always looking for

Angus Poulter, Sophie Aujard, EmilyWallace and Joseph Irvine and left, Yvette Lovis, Adrian Lovis, Mervyn Hughes, Jane Steele, Lesley Finlay and Tina Chapman

new talent and volunteers to help out on and off stage for the an- nual village panto and Plays and Picnics. If you think you can help out,

visit the LADS facebook page or drop a line to macfinlay03@btin- ternet.com.

1.30 Vocademy 2pm Bloco Fogo 2.30 Fryday Academy 2.45 Maidstone Baton Twirlers 3.00 Molly 3.30 Baterias Not Included

Week Street 1pm Old School Samba 1.15 Maidstone Baton Twirlers 2pm Baterias Not Included 2.30 Old School Samba 3pm Bloco Fogo

Court cases face delays

ANYONE expecting to have their day in court might have to wait a very long time. The backlog of cases at Maid-

stone Crown Court means defen- dants might have to wait up to 10 months to stand trial before a judge and jury.

Following the death of Judge

David Caddick and the retirement of Judge Michael Carroll, the courts, in Barker Road, are two judges down. Preesently, the waiting list of

cases coming to trial is nearing 800. Canterbury’s presiding judge

AdeleWilliams is to move to Maid- stone, but not until September. She is entitled to hear the most serious of cases, including murder. However, while her fellow judges James O’Mahony and Heather Norton can hear at- tempted murder trials, no one else at Canterbury can preside over a murder case. This could mean all such cases

being taken in Maidstone which it is feared will further add to the backlog. The crown court has eight court-

rooms and seven judges, including resident judge Jeremy Carey.

Formore local news www.downsmail.co.uk

bombing, balloon modelling, stilt walkers and magicians who will roam the townthroughout the after- noon.

Members of the Irish folk dancing

in Jubilee Square,namedto mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, with other dance and music displays in Brenchley Gardens, FremlinWalk and St Faith’s Street.

There will also be 'wacky bikes' in Brenchley Gardens, a street artist in Jubilee Square and face-painters in two locations, plus a variety of street entertainment, including yarn

group from Frydays Academy are shining up their shoes ready to get jigging, teenagers from the Vocad- emy singing school are tuning up and Mandy Ellen Performing Arts and the Margaret Preedy Dance School are both putting together routines to entertain shoppers and visitors.

Activities get underway from 12 noon and continue through until

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