Tickets are a queuedunit!
IT WAS at 4.34am that the first person turned up to queue for tickets – four and a half hours before the box office opened.
This kind of behaviour is understandable for big music festivals such as Reading or Glastonbury, but for a village? That’s dedication.
Ticket sales opened on Saturday for the bi-annual Wargrave Festival and, as is tradition, hundreds of people queued up early to get their tickets.
Being sold from the Scout hut in the village’s recreation ground, the queue snaked around the cricket pitch as villagers queued up keen to secure their spot at a range of special events including a gin tasting event, a bridge drive and a ball.
This year’s theme is Wargrave, That’s Magic and is in tribute to one of the village’s best-known residents: the incredible magician Paul Daniels.
His wife, the Lovely Debbie McGee, will be the star turn to the event, which runs from Wednesday, June 12 through to Saturday, June 30.
She will be hosting Paul Daniels’ Magic Life, an evening devoted to recounting the master illusionist’s life and career.
Other attractions include a teddy bear’s picnic, a flower festival, and a performance of two Shakespearean plays: As You Like It and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. There will also be quizzes, tea parties, jazz bands, bingo and comedy.
The festival concludes with a festival parade on Saturday, June 29, and a special day of church services, barbecues and big bands the following day.
Most events take place at Mill Green or St Mary’s Church in Station Road, with a smattering taking place in other venues such as the Snooker Club or Woodclyffe Hall.
First in the queue on Saturday was Nick Blades, arriving before dawn to secure his place.
Wrapped up in a sleeping bag and bearing a hot water bottle, he said: “I came early because I had so many things to do today, I didn’t want to queue.
“I’m normally one of the first in the queue,” he admitted, adding he’d be doing this for the past 17 years.
“I’ve now got bragging rights for the next two years.”
The festival has been held bi-annually ever since the then vicar of Wargrave, the Revd John Ratings, launched it in 1975.
There are still some tickets available. For more details, or to book, log on to www. wargravefestival.org.uk