Blossoming festival looking for sponsors
THE team behind a new festival which will help the town blossom is calling for sponsors for the event.
The Macclesfield Garden Festival, set to take place in the town centre over a weekend in May, will encourage community groups and businesses to create beautiful flower displays to help brighten up the town centre.
There will also be exhibits by RHS Gold medal winning garden designers, artists, sculptors, horticulturalists and floral design artists at Christ Church, as well as town centre displays along Chestergate and Mill Street.
Jon Tilley, who is behind the idea of the fes- tival, is calling for sponsors and volunteers to get involved and help with marshalling of the event, along with the setup and clearance. All volunteers will receive free entry into the event.
Jon, who won Gold at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in 2011 with his own garden design, said a community meeting was attended by around 30 people, with a building supply company and estate agents pledging their support.
He said: “MKM Building Supplies Ltd have come on board as a major sponsor with Estates and Leisure Ltd sponsoring the retail displays.
“Macclesfield’s Red Willow brewery will also be offering a garden bar, and it is hoped that there will be a specially-brewed ale for visitors to try.
“Estates and Leisure have pledged a top prize of £100 for the festival, with £50 for second place and a £25 third prize.
“All shops will be encouraged to display a planter, hanging basket or window display.
“There is no particular theme for the competition, just displays that are as quirky and interesting as possible and not neces- sarily the most expensive.”
There will also be an additional £50 ‘people’s choice’ prize for the best dressed shop front.
All participating businesses will be able to register their interest via the event’s Facebook page.
Jon added: “We would like the floral arts and sculpture tent to be sponsored, or even the garden revue show.
“And there are still four or five competition categories that are available for sponsorship, with room for one or two major sponsors.”
Advance tickets for the festival, due to be held from May 19-21, will be available shortly from PR Jones Jewellers on Chestergate, priced at £4 for adults with free entry for under-16s.
‘There are still four or five competition categories available’