Welcome to Steyning Festival 2018

The theme of our Festival this year is Revolution. Not a word that immediately comes to mind when you think of Steyning but whether you feel like revolting or revolving, or maybe just having a ‘sit-down’, we have a packed programme for you, with something for everyone. The Big Top is back again with even more space than before and the Festival Bar and Café will be open throughout, so for the duration of the Festival, the earth will revolve around Steyning!   

The festival kicks off with the Community Revolutionary Parade on Saturday 26th at 11.00am, this time with three bands to keep us all foot-tapping our way down the High Street and who knows what in the way of revolutionary activity among the paraders so be prepared for some fun. After that, you are going to have to make some difficult choices about what to see from over 140 events in the programme. Will it be Herbie Flowers in the Big Top or Sarah Dunant in the Gluck Studio? Wiston Wonders or The Rise of the Robots? The Theatre Trail or a Chanctonbury Walk? The film: Loving Vincent or a Folk Evening in the Big Top? A prize goes to the person who can tell us how to be in more than one place at a time!


We are especially proud to announce two World Premieres in the festival this year. On Sunday 3rd June there is a new work by Malcolm Singer, in celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th anniversary, to mirror The Chichester Psalms and emanating from the grass roots of Sussex. Then on Friday 8th June, the Ballet Rambert trained dance duo, Thick and Tight, bring an evening of dance on Revolutionary themes specially commissioned by Steyning Festival.   


Another innovation this year is a whole day of workshops and masterclasses in the art of hip-hop culture with Breakin’ Convention, Audio Active, Street Funk, Rounded Rhythm and Tot Rockin' Beats. If you are not sure what this is all about and just want to watch, there will be a mentor showcase at the end of the day when you can see the masters at work.


Children (and their parents and grandparents!) are well catered for again this festival. In addition to the five weekend Community Days with lots of fun activities, there is a full programme of events, especially during Half Term. They can go on a Pirate Adventure, listen to Julia Donaldson Telling Tales, learn some Circus Skills, join a Hysterical Histories workshop - and much, much more.


With all this, plus all the old faithfuls like the Theatre Trails, the Raz Up, the Ukulele Jam and the Short Story Awards there is really no need to go home other than to sleep. You can even wake up your spine on a couple of mornings with Community Yoga or have breakfast with Julia Donaldson!


Finally, this whole thing would not happen without a huge amount of work by a lot of people. Word has it that we are the biggest festival in the country run entirely by volunteers. If it is to keep going, Steyning Festival needs YOU!


Have a great Festival.


Photos
We know you take lots of photos during the festival and we would like you to share your good times with us. We will collect and sort the photos and show them on Saturday 9th June at our Revolutionary Finale at 10.00pm.
Please send your best photos to: photos@steyningfestival.co.uk