A little corner of Gateshead will turn the clock back to the 1940s this weekend
ANYONE passing through Springwell Village in Gateshead over the next few days might well think they’ve entered a time warp.
Residents are turning back the clock 75 years for a 1940s weekend packed full of events and displays.
Following on from last year’s successful event, attended by more than 2,000 people, Springwell Village is hosting another, hopefully bigger and better 1940s weekend.
It runs from today, Friday, June 29 to Sunday, July 1.
One of the organisers, Liz Reid, said: “The whole village will take a step back in time and invites you to come along and join in the fun. Everybody is welcome.”
The weekend kicks off on Friday with schoolchildren dressing up as evacuees and learning about what it was like in wartime.
Reenactors will be setting up camp at the Bowes Railway site. It will host battle reenactments on Saturday and Sunday.
And by complete way of contrast, there will be a picnic for toddlers.
The 1940s will be in full swing on Saturday with Bowes hosting World War II battle camps and vintage vehicles. There will also be slide-show talks and tours.
Throughout the village there will be children’s games, stalls, live music, tearooms and beer and wine tents.
There’s even a stylist to do your hair and you can learn how to dance, all 1940s-style, in Springwell Village Community Venue.
Springwell Village Methodist Chapel is hosting afternoon tea with entertainer Carrie Steel, and the tropical garden Woodlands is open for charity. Meanwhile, Springwell Social Club is running a children’s party with entertainer Marti Bloomfield.
On Sunday, there will be a picnic in the park with a children’s entertainer and a mini theatre production with Live History Theatre Group all the way from Canada.
You can enjoy Sunday brunch with live music at the Community Venue and there’s a memorial service in the chapel.
There will be lots of live music throughout the weekend – ukuleles in the Community Venue and entertainers at the Guide Post and Social Club.
For sports fans, there’s a good old-fashioned 1940s football match.
And for shoppers there will be stalls throughout the village and on the Bowes Railway site.
Everybody is welcome.