ALL BEING WELL... SUMMER’S BACK ON!
■ ORGANISERS of some of the town’s biggest summer events have responded to the government’s roadmap out of lockdown with cautious optimism. Suddenly there is hope for this year’s Ashbourne Show, Streetfest and the Soapbox race
ORGANISERS of some of the town’s biggest and most celebrated summer events have responded to the government’s roadmap out of lockdown with cautious optimism and a positive outlook.
Ashbourne Show and the Ashbourne Soapbox Race are among the big events shrouded in uncertainty, as the current plan for easing restrictions could allow them to go ahead – but only if the government is happy enough with the data.
The unknowns that lie ahead in the coming months also leave one of the town centre’s most popular events, Ashbourne Festival, on a knifeedge, as the proposed easing of all restrictions on big events no earlier than June 21 would not arrive in time for the International Streetfest.
However, organisers have been working on a plan to stage a festival in 2021, which they hope will bolster the general reopening of the town centre - and Streetfest could still play a part.
Meanwhile Ashbourne Show’s committee has been discussing the government’s roadmap and what it could mean for the one-day agricultural show that takes place in Osmaston Park in August.
Last year the show had to be cancelled altogether, but this year the current roadmap, if all goes to plan, could allow the event to go ahead as planned.
A spokesman for the Ashbourne Shire Horse Society, which organises the show, said: “We are cautiously optimistic and hopeful and we are currently planning to be holding a show.”
This statement was echoed by Soapbox race organiser Sean Clayton, who had been ploughing on with plans to stage the second-ever event of its type in the Market Place last year, but had to concede defeat as a lockdown began to loom in September.
He told the News Telegraph:
“Looking at the dates, we could have nine or 10 weeks of breathing space, which we’re very hopeful for.
“In fact we’re that hopeful that we’ll soon be ready to announce a date for the event, which would take place in early September.
“We still have some problems to work through this month but things are progressing well so far and we’re definitely hoping we’ll be able to go ahead this year.”
The problems faced by the race’s committee will include the potential impact of thousands of “staycationers” descending on the event, that might not have been around for the 2019 event, and gathering in enough sponsorship to be able to afford to stage it.
Uncertainty over various aspects of staging an event so soon after the effects of a pandemic is also troubling the committee behind the arts festival but organisers say they are proceeding with caution and they are hoping to put on a memorable event this summer.
Tim Challans, on behalf of the committee, said: “The uncertainty about how the town and the country will emerge from the latest lockdown has led the Ashbourne Festival directors to consider how to programme the 2021 festival very carefully.
“Despite the positive plans for reopening the country we have been very cautious, as we do not know whether our audiences will want to gather indoors.
“However, we do know that many people want to experience live events again. Therefore, we have decided not to concentrate on the usual two weeks in June but to spread events across the summer and autumn when it may be more viable to have indoor and outdoor events.
“We have a responsibility to contribute to the reopening of Ashbourne and help it bounce back post pandemic.”
The festival has been lent a short lease on an empty high street shop owned by Derbyshire County Council, and this could house an artist in residence for creative activities.
Another art trail is being mooted around the shopping areas, and plans are in place to book concerts, drama, literature and talks as well as the annual art exhibition across the second half of 2021.
Mr Challans said: “We have already programmed some events that were originally planned for 2020.
“At the moment these include an open-air production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ by Illyria Theatre Company on June 25, a concert by Cavendish Winds on June 26 and Poetry in the Garden on June 27.
“Of course, everything is dependent on the governments ‘road map’ running to plan and whatever public health measures may be in place later in the year.
“But we are hopeful that we can start entertaining Ashbourne again and help the town get back on its feet.”
He added that, while International Streetfest might not be able to go ahead as planned this year, its spirit could be revived for a day on the weekend of what would normally be the festival’s finale, Picnic in the Park on the weekend of July 3 and 4.
The much-loved Comedy Night would then happen later in the year.