Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Have our festivals got too big?
Behind-the-scenes work on the future of three of the district’s biggest festivals is gathering pace as a full review of how they are run is launched.
Management of the Canterbury Food and Drink Festival, the Herne Bay Festival and Whitstable Oyster Festival was stripped from external organisers after contracts expired last year.
The city council is now working to establish how the events should best be run, with its focus said to be centred on making them more community-orientated.
As part of the review, members of the public have been asked to fill in a questionnaire.
Chairman of the council’s community committee, Cllr Neil Baker, said: “Our festivals are attended by tens of thousands of people each year and we are keen to ensure that everyone can enjoy them.
“They attract lots of visitors, but we know from previous feedback that not all local residents are as enthusiastic.
“This is an opportunity to shape the way we provide them in the future and we’re keen to hear as many views as possible.”
The format of Canterbury’s Food and Drink Festival is said to be well-received, with the focus for change more centred on the festivals on the district’s coast.
The Oyster Festival has come in for some criticism, with last summer’s event sparkling 43 official complaints amid claims it is “too big for the town”.
It is now set to be scaled back from a 10-day celebration to a two- or three-day event.
The Herne Bay Festival is also set to be revamped amid growing calls for it to be run by voluntary community groups.
Council spokesman Rob Davies said: “All three festivals have been held for many years, but since 2013, they have been run by external organisations on the council’s behalf.
“These contracts ended in 2016. Temporary arrangements have been put in place so that some activities can take place this year, to allow the council time to properly plan the festivals’ future from 2018 onwards.
“An important part of that process is the views of local people – both those who do and do not attend the events – because the festivals have changed and developed over the years.
“The council is keen to hear what people do and do not like about them, any issues they cause, the benefit they bring to the economy and their contribution to life in the district.”
The results of the questionnaire will form part of a further consultation in the spring.
To fill it in visit www.canterbury.gov.uk/festivals before midday on Friday, March 3.
What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk or write to Gazette House, 5-8 Boorman Way, Wraik Hill, Whitstable, CT5 3SE.