Crowds turn out for the big fun Fest Off
Thatcham Festival launches with sun, song and the spoken word
THE High Street closed and the crowds rolled in as Thatcham hosted the first events of its annual festival at the weekend.
The Big Thatcham Fest Off launched the weeks of fun on a sunny Saturday, with music, spoken word performances and a bespoke night market.
Stalls filled the streets, along with gifts, table setups and street food.
Thatcham town councillors and members of Thatcham Rotary Club really got stuck in as stewards for the event.
Thatcham Town Council events manager John Sackett said: “It was brilliant, we were blessed with the weather.”
He said the event was well received by the public.
Former Thatcham mayor Stephanie Steevenson said: “All of Saturday was super.
“I particularly enjoyed the choir and Nigel the comic reader on Saturday evening and it was marvellous to see the High Street used for a change.
“I have never seen anything like this in the High Street and I have lived here since 1989.”
Many stalls, selling food and gifts, ran out of produce due to high interest and large footfall.
Even Thatcham mayor John Boyd said that he had to pop to the shops to get more money and commented on the “fantastic” entertainment that was provided.
He said: “The artists that were performing were of a great quality.
“Local businesses along the high street, were just so supportive. The talks on the stage were great, they were fantastic.”
The feedback he received on the day was also positive. Mr Boyd added: “Two people stopped me to say congratulations on the event. A lot of people were quite interested by it all.
“I was very pleased we were blessed with some glorious weather.”
Newbury Building Society, which supported the Words of Recovery, encouraged reading and constructed a small library.
Mr Sackett said: “It was amazing that people were buying lots of books, they were really pleased with it.”
Newbury and Thatcham Neighbourhood Police team also had a presence on the weekend and posed for pictures with children.
There were also Covid testing facilities on site.
Council leader David Lister (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) attended the event and said: “I was there all day. It was fantastic seeing so many people out. The event was absolutely brilliant.”
The evening saw the food and entertainment continue to flow as tables and chairs were set out for attendees to grab a bite and watch the acts perform.
The Harmony Choir played twice in the evening to a great crowd.
An 83-year-old man won over the crowd as he was invited to the stage to read poetry, followed by a song.
Mr Lister went on to say: “It was really well attended, we got a selection of music. It was fantastic to see local businesses as well.”