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Andover’s first Big Festival Weekend took place at Vigo Road Park over the weekend of 5 and 6 July, with both visitors and organisers voting it a big success.
With the weather doing its very best to cause confusion thousands of people turned out to enjoy the free event organised by Andover Live.
The Get Active Sports Fair on the Saturday was the busiest of the two days when over 30 local sports clubs and organisations set up their gazebos in the park to provide information, demonstrations and taster sessions.
It was fun all the way with activities ranging from Aikido to Ju Jitso. Experts from each of the organisations talked with visitors and provided a range of information to tempt them to 'Get Active'. The park was a hive of activity with a programme of demonstrations including those from Andover Rugby Club, and Andover Hockey club fresh from their success at the recent Hampshire Youth Games.
Have a go sessions were led by groups including the Ohdokwan Academy, Andover Aikido, Sweet Science Boxing Academy and Andover Leisure Centre leading Cheer Leading and Hula Hoop sessions. Belly Dancing was well represented and the Dance 2 Fitness group entertained the crowds with their pole dancing sessions.
The biggest queues of the day were for the mobile climbing wall in the centre of the park, the synthetic ice rink set up on the tennis courts and the inflatable 'Shoot for Goal' which even saw Andover town goalie Dave Hook saving a few shots during the afternoon. A huge 40 metre long inflatable obstacle course also gave the children a challenge as they scrambled through to the end.
With the weather taking a turn for the worse on the Sunday, Summer Sounds started slowly at 12.30pm. The 40 strong Brighton based carnival collective Barulho beat out the sounds of the samba as they paraded around the park to get everyone in the mood. This was followed by a rolling programme of live music on the main stage including the music of several seasoned Glastonbury regulars, Matzos with their eastern European melodies and the Zen Hussies playing goodtime swing-ska-boogaloo ensured that the growing crowd were well entertained.
Walkabout stilt walkers the Geisha Girls and Carmen Miranda added a splash of colour to the park. Throughout the day creative willow sculptures were built and decorated and by the end of the afternoon there was an assortment of finished pieces including flowers, spiders and various creatures. Other creative articles were made by the roaming Ballonatic who made everything from pirate swords to spectacles from balloons!
Starburst marquees housed the workshop village where visitors made kites and windmills, dreamcatchers and rangoli designs, they were also very useful when the heavens opened!
Visit the Andover Livewebsite, http://www.andoverlive.org.uk/ , to see images.
For more information please contact Teresa Bradley, Marketing Manager at The Lights on 01264 368833
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