THE Festival

Every year the Norwich and Norfolk festival surpasses itself. And predominantly it's one adjective expanding: quirkyosivitiness (I know, I know - it's not a real word but it's what it does). Whoever is in charge of bookings must spend all year searching really hard for the bizarre and the extraordinary. And these acts and events don't appear in the expensive ticket, high brow, classical concerts part - no - they happen in the fringe festival and they happen all over town.

Take this afternoon. I wandered into town with my family with no agenda. If I am really honest - I had actually momentarily forgotten the festival was on. A man playing fiddle on a tightrope jogged it back into my memory.

....as did the somewhat strange merri-go-round in one of the city centre parks....

Having remembered the festival was on I had vague recollections of something happening in Blackfriars Hall that I had an inkling I might like but wasn't sure what it was. I had read a programme at some point...so I had enough confidence to believe my inkling could amount to something.

I am glad we did because we stumbled upon an: oh-so-much-my-cup-of-tea.

The Home Sweet Home Thingy. I don't think any name could ever do it justice...and that one certainly didn't. It was an EXPERIENCE - one that left me buzzing.

First you chose your cardbaord flatpack home and are given the white key to its door. It could be a canal barge, a flat, a small terrace, a large terrace, a detached, or various other shapes. Then you gathered up some craft materials and proceeded to decorate it in a style of your own choosing.

It was a hall full of people absorbed in creative flow.

I chose to create Professor Pott's house - a house with an explosion coming out of one window, a mutant mayor out of another, various experiments in action in and around the house and the start of a ladder to the moon on its roof...amongst other things. This was what it ended up looking like....

But creating a house wasn't all. There was a postman collecting and delivering letters being posted to and from houses.


There was also a community notice board and Residents FM Radio blasting out 'what was going down in the community' inbetween requested tunes. They told us of a campaign to have the radio mast moved to a non residential site (I might have started that because it was interfering with Professor Potts' experiments but another letter cited support for its position - I suspect it was from Mr Fuzz of the Television Shop), it also informed us of a ghostbuster business opening up centre town, of new fire station, etc....it was non-stop community action. I sent a letter to the radio over concerns about building regulations citing specifically that the fire station was somewhat flammable, that a large orange helium balloon was interfering with air traffic control and that explosions are not very community minded. There was even concern in the north of town that zombies might be taking over.....(concern initiated by the middle house in this terrace)...

On Monday, there is a street party, after which we can take our properties if we wished to.

My only complaint: I got a cardboard cut on my finger. Cardboard cuts are worse than paper cuts but considered a worthwhile price to pay.


Comments

  1. hi Molly P
    I've only read the beginning so far but it sounds a brilliant festival. I'll re-visit it tonight.
    It's nice that you've come up for air and shared a blog entry.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Molly you are indeed a very lucky young woman to have
    Norwich and Norfolk celebrate your BIRTHDAY with a festival.

    Belatedly then: Here's wishing you a very Happy Birthday,

    luv, hugs & pecks (xx)

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a fun event! Looks like you might have a rival in the creativity department!

    Best, Mark

    ReplyDelete
  4. Models are great, what a wonderful festival. Was there a pub? With a little spigot you could pull out of the door and drink from for real?

    That would be my building I think.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Now why can't the rest of us have what you have there Molly P? We are far too bland and reserved here...other than the Jazz Festival perhaps.

    You really need a diversion on things like birthdays:)
    I'm glad you had a blast.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi everyone...I have missed you!

    Ken D - I am STILL buzzing from it. We went to the street party last night (to end it) and took our house home with us but I was sad to see the community go. It looked fantastic at the end. I forgot to take my camera...doh!

    Heron - thank you. I saw your wife's work...great stuff. Inanna is a very forceful saleswoman and a bit scary for a hippy!!! great shop though....ahe has good taste - of course.

    Codgi - I think I need to come up with my own idea to spread -like the two women Lucy Hayhoe
    and Abigail Conway that started this all off.

    Eric - There was a tiny pub - but that was closer to the more ordinary end of the spectrum to most buildings. A mini newspaper was made for the street party, reporting lots of the odd events that happened while the town existed....

    Still buzzing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Molly P
    I'm glad that others regret forgetting to take their cameras with them. The times I've kicked myself and vowed never to do it again.

    ReplyDelete
  8. *wails* I want to come live in your town!! I would have loved loved LOVED that!!

    Mind you, WOMAD (World of Music, Art and Dance) is happening just along the road from us at the end of July...I can't wait to go!! Gil Scott-Heron, Drumers of Brunai, Peter Gabrial and more playing over three days....am all excited!!

    C x

    ReplyDelete

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