New Forest Festival
The 1st annual New Forest Festival launches in September this year giving a taste of what's to come when the festival fully launches in 2011.
The overall festival will bring together several cultural festivals, focusing on film, storytelling, music and food - and is committed to being a model festival in terms of its environmental sustainability.
The New Forest Film Festival launches on 24th September at Brockenhurst College with a gala screening of the classic silent film, Beggars of Life, with live music provided by the Dodge Brothers and the acclaimed silent film pianist, Neil Brand. The power for both the projector and the band's amplification will be provided by bicycle, with Magnificent Revolution providing the technology that will enable the audience to take a turn at powering the show with their own legs.
The New Forest Film Festival is being run by local film-makers, Simon Miller and Joanne Cockwell, film critic and broadcaster, Mark Kermode and film department academics, Linda Ruth Williams and Michael Hammond.
Tickets can be purchased at www.newforestfestival.com (which come with free popcorn and pop).
The New Forest Music, Storytelling and Food Festivals launch on Saturday 25th September with a full day of forest fun for all ages and an evening of live music - all at Minstead Study Centre.
Storytelling events take place at artisan and craft stations throughout the day with specialists from the world of bee-keeping, wool-weaving, cider-pressing providing an insight into their craft.
Live music takes place in the session tent featuring local musicians and singers from across the New Forest.
Hearty New Forest food will be available all day from acclaimed New Forest chef, Simon Woodhouse from TV's The Floating Chef.
The evening features live music from one of Britain's leading acoustic guitarists, Lee Collinson and local folk and Jazz favourites, Owl in the Sun and Modern Fighting Vehicles.
This year's festival has been brought together by a range of New Forest organisations and individuals including New Forest Transition, the New Forest Storytellers, film-maker Jonathan Blease, Patrick Andrews and Sophie van der Meeren.
Purchase tickets for day and evening New Forest Festival events.
