Alrewas Arts Festival

05/09/2026

Come on down to the BOAT SHED at the Methodist Church and bag a bargain! We are selling off some of the many items created for the 2026 Festival.
10am to 2pm

04/09/2026

*** What’s on offer? ***
Saturday 5th September. 10 till 2.
Methodist Church Garden.
• The model Galleon
• The Tessellating fish and swans
• The flip flack fishes
• Some of the beautiful water-based banners
• Wooden Fish
• Super knitted sea creatures
The Archive Compendium books will be there too.
All perfect Christmas gifts
Cash and card for donations.
SAND
Bring a bag/wheelbarrow/truck! Remember - sand is quite heavy!
LOST PROPERTY
In the boat shed tomorrow
• A yellow kids hoody with frills on shoulders
• 1 beige slip-on shoe (yes, 1 - Cinderella?)
• A red and black Brolly
• 2 pairs of sunglasses (1 in a Specsavers case)
• A water bottle with a pink top
• A turquoise bead bracelet

28/08/2026

26/08/2026

Festival photos please!
Post them here.
Email to [email protected]
Thanks!

26/08/2026

**Day 5 - Half way** Happy Wednesday NEWS!

Looks like some cheeky showers today.
Everything is going ahead as planned - the sand may be covered - check it out.

The fabulous Arts Cafe in the Methodist Hall will be open for very lovely food, savoury and sweet treats, good company and Arthur playing during the afternoon - his session was so lovely on Monday - thank you Arthur!

The Bear Hunt - YES thats going ahead too. If your littles are booked - welly them up - the Hunt may be a little shorter but huge fun all the same.

Festivals in the past to look at!
See these in the Arts Cafe and via the links here:
Watch the animation https://www.alrewas-artsfest.co.uk/2026-festival/cut-through-AAF
This Day in Festivals Past https://www.alrewas-artsfest.co.uk/2026-festival/this-day-in-festivals-past

Feedback
There are little feedback notes around - do fill them in please. We’ll feedback the feedback after the Festival!
We’ll contact Workshop leaders and performers for their Feedback after the Festival.
Do email me with any feedback if no paper slips available

The Silent Auctions update:
Bids are coming in folks. Closing date is Friday 28th
Number Plate featured on page 19 of the programme.
‘AL53WAS’
Festival Rag Rug that you can see in the Boat Shed. A dedicated team of eight rag ruggers have been working to produce the Festival Rag Rug. Work started in April and it was completed in August. It has taken approximately forty hours to make; this equates to a whooping three hundred and twenty hours of work! The design is based on canal art roses and features four roses and two daisies. Its beautiful!

FINALE
As you know, we will make the call about location of the Finale around Wednesday/Thursday. We are very much hoping for Walkfield - if it’s looking soggy - it’s All Saints Church all the way!

UPDATES!
Singer Sue on Friday at the Bank Coffeehouse - book this lovely session by dropping in to the Bank This week - or calling them . It starts at 6 for 6:30!

19/08/2026

**3 days to go!**

Talks update

T10 The Road to Ukraine.Paul Thomas. Here’s links to Pauls organisation.
Do take a look - we have a link on our website to posters.
E: [email protected]
F: https://www.facebook.com/cumbriaaidukraine/

T1 Burton Water. This is now full. Tony Jones has donated his delicious b**r for the Festival sausage, and to the Festival bar. Huge thanks.

Workshops update

W 28a. A Village Walk (Not in the paper Programme)12noon to 1pm. Tuesday 25th. Meet in the Arts Cafe.
‘Exploring How Flow can Inspire Awe and Wellbeing'. Shake Seigel.
A stroll with Shake with opportunities to notice, appreciate and reflect upon awe inspiring facets of ‘Flow’.

W13. Poetry for Beginners. Come to try your hand or just listen. Bert Flitcroft welcomes all who’s like to know more.

W2 Drama Games, W10 Pips Paper Folding Cute Cats and W16 Pips Paper Folding Water Dragons. These are all 1 hour sessions , not 2 hours as stated in the programme.

Concerts update

C5. Community Choir. This lovely Concert is 1 hour, not 2 as stated in the programme.

Click here for items with spaces. Some spaces for kids and adults. Try something new! Need any more information about any item? Contact me.

The Boat Shed
Sally’s fabulous Boat Shed houses a wealth of treasures! Visit as many times as you like. Lots to marvel at and even a place to sit if you are lucky. Sally and some of her amazing team will be in there to chat, not only about what’s in there, but about the stunning installations around the village (Mill Stream, Green, Bank Coffeehouse). There may be a few things on sale - probably cash only for these.

The Beach
The Beach will be open from 10am on Saturday 22nd then 09:30 daily for the rest of the week. Huge thanks to Richard Kirkland and team for creating this fabulous installation.
What you need to know:
Bring buckets, spades, rugs, towels - all the usual beachy stuff!
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Keep an eye on them. There’s a few fun activities there too that require supervision. There is no ‘lifeguard’ on duty.
Assistance dogs only please.
We cover the sand at night to keep it nice and clean.
There’s loo’s inside - ask your bunnies to wipe their sandy feet on the way in please.

The Arts Cafe will be open for drinks and lovely snacks (there’s seating outside) and you should be able to purchase these from the window in the garden too. Open all week!

Feedback
There will be feedback forms in all venues, feel free to jot some comments.

Thank you
The Festival is run entirely by volunteers. Workshop leaders, cafe and bar staff, performers, helpers, makers….give them a smile and a hearty thank you.

Sat 22nd
The Market opens at 10am (come rain or shine). There’ll be more than 58 stalls to browse and buy crafts, art, food - sooo much. Don’t forget, Post Office Road will be closed to traffic from early until the Market magically disappears after 4pm. There’ll be space for emergency access of course. We’ll have a first aider on site and if you lose a child….grab a person in a Festival Hi’ Vis’ jacket!
A couple of stalls only take cash - you might wish to have some about you in case its those that you’d like to purchase from.
The opening ceremony will be at 11. There will be cake!
The Crown (thank you Grafton Lisa and crew) will be open at 11 and they’ll also have some food for you.
The Box Office will open at 11:15.
We are thrilled to welcome The Wayside Serenaders between 12 and 2 and Wendy B at 2:30, to entertain us. Thank you!

Booking
Call us on the Festival phone: 07942 904453
Tonight (Wednesday): 6pm to 8pm…. then…..
Festival week in person or on the phone: Sat 22nd from 11:15 then daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm
RETURNS?
Phone or email us please. We can offer these places to someone waiting.
Workshops have tickets.
Concerts Talks and Events have guest lists. So no printed tickets.

07/08/2026

**Festival 26. 2 weeks to go!**
Excited? We are! OPENING FINALE and more!
Opening Day 22nd
The Market opens at 10am (come rain or shine). There’ll be more than 50 stalls to browse and buy crafts, art, food - sooo much. Don’t forget, Post Office Road will be closed to traffic from early until the Market magically disappears after 4pm. There’ll be space for emergency access od course. We’ll have a first aider on site and if you lose a child….grab a person in a Festival Hi’ Vis’ jacket!
The opening ceremony will be at 11. There will be cake!
The Beach will be open from 10 as will the Arts Cafe. The Box Office will open at 11:15. Children must be accompanied by an adult when visiting the Beach.
We are thrilled to welcome The Wayside Serenaders and Wendy B to entertain us. Thank you!
One Love Too 26th
A glorious evenings entertainment of words and music featuring:
Donna and Dave, Ellen, The Alicats, Suzanne and Moya, Lorna, One Love Guys, Chris and Debbie, Val, Ukulele Massive and Maddie and her sister! The gig starts at 7pm. There will be a bar pre start and during the interval. Contact the Box Office to book (no physical tickets, just a list of names). Thanks to All Saints Church for providing the bar.
Finale 29th
Walkfield is our fabulous venue for the Festival Finale. An open air concert for you to relax to and enjoy from 6pm till 11pm.
The evening will be hosted by David Smeeton, who will keep you entertained and informed as the evening progresses.
Bring a picnic - as fancy as you dare!
The Scouts are bringing food and hot and cold drinks.
Entertaining you will be the fabulous young bands Feedback and Paracosm, the stunning voice of Trinny and the ‘dance like no one is watching’ bands The Imposters and Back In The Red.
We’ve more than 40 beautiful Willow Lanterns for the Twilight Lantern parade. You don’t need a Lantern to join in - we have some spares or you can bring a light stick to wave around.
Practical stuff for Finale
No fires, live candles (the battery ones are great), fire ballons, BBQ’s or fireworks - you know why!
There will be loo’s on site.
There will be a First Aider on site and people in Hi’ Vis’ to look after you (that’s the Festival crew and a few other folks who can keep a watchful eye on things)
We don’t have a bar - bring your own choice of refreshments.
Bad weather forecast…? If so, we’ll be in All Saints Church!
Do bring a bag to take your discarded bits home please. The field will be in use on Sunday.
Lost property (including people) Green Room Tent by the stage.

A note from Sally
“The Festival Drop in on 26th July was very productive. More lovely banners arrived. Please get the rest to me as soon as possible so we can sort out the hanging channels.
The rag rug is nearly finished and the Swan has all of her feathers!
The next (and last) last Drop in session is Sunday16th August 2 till 4pm. We will be finishing off and preparing to start putting everything up on the 17th.
The fabulous heron (created by Chris Edwards and team for Festival 2024) is being transformed into a beautiful willow Swan. All of the willow used for this will be harvested from Alrewas Island.
Please do come and help. Sessions start next week at 2pm:
Tuesday 11th, Wednesday 12th, Thursday 13th, Friday 14th
Children must be accompanied & supervised by an adult over 18”TO BOOK
Call us on the Festival phone: 07942 904453
Monday 10th and following week days: 6pm to 8pm.
Weekends: 10am to 12noon and 3pm till 5pm.
Festival week in person or on the phone: 9:30am to 4:30pm
RETURNS?
Phone or email us please. We can offer these places to someone waiting.
Reminder
Workshops have tickets (pick them up on Saturday 1st August between 10 and 12 and Sunday 16th August at the Methodist Hall between 2 and 4, or from the Box Office in the Methodist Hall during Festival week).
Concerts Talks and Events have guest lists. So no printed tickets. If you requested these in the ‘Wish List’ phase - your places will be in your envelope for collection. If you booked them using the Festival Phone Line - nothing to collect - you’ll be on the Guest list.

14/07/2026

Festival Booking News and Whats On (nip to bottom of mail)
Festival Booking News update.
We have now processed the first stage bookings for Concerts

Talks and Events.
All requests submitted for these have been allocated. Just 4 items needed randomising for places. I’m delighted to report the following:

CONCERTS: If you’ve requested these - you have your seats.

TALKS: If you have requested a talk - you have your seats…except for T1. Burton Water. This is full with a short waiting list (so almost all have their request).

EVENTS: 3 Events are now allocated, full and have waiting lists. (Drama Shorts / Unravelling Twins/ Messing about on the River). If you requested any of the other Events you have your seats and there are more that can be booked from 21st July.

*****Information about Workshop coming soon*****

*****We are working on those now!*****

A reminder of how to collect your Tickets

o Come to the Methodist Hall on 19th July between 2 and 4pm. We won’t have capacity to make bookings or changes on that day. The Box Office phone opens on Tuesday 21st July.

o If you can’t make 19th we’ll keep your tickets safe for you. You’ll also be able to collect them at the Festival Drop-in on Sunday 26th July, at the Lantern Workshop on 1st August and the Festival Drop-in on Sunday 16th August - all between 2 and 4pm.

PHONE LINE from 21st July.
Week days: 6pm to 8pm.
Weekends: 10am to 12noon and 3pm till 5pm.
Festival week: 9:30am to 4:30pm
07942 904453

A few people may be sad not to nab some of their choices - remember - there’s still lots to book. It a fabulous opportunity to try something new.

If you change your mind or can’t attend any Festival items that you have booked – please let us know. People will be waiting.

New to book from 21st July: A Village Walk
T. 28a. 12noon to 1pm. Tuesday 25th. Meet in the Arts Cafe.
‘Exploring How Flow can Inspire Awe and Wellbeing'. Shake Seigel. A stroll with Shake with opportunities to notice, appreciate and reflect upon awe inspiring facets of ‘Flow’.

WHATS ON
Afternoon Tea
SATURDAY 1st AUGUST 2:30pm
52 Mill End Lane
£20. Includes a glass of Pimms or Sangria
Raising money for Burton Community First Responders.
Call or Text Jayne : 078915 30444 or Wendy: 07836 335603 for tickets.
Demo of CPR, use of a defibrillator and how to deal with choking