Bandstand festival will celebrate Redditch's diversity

Buy photos » Boon Yeng drums up some support ahead of the Bandstand Festival. Picture by Neville Collins www.buyphotos247.com.

A LIVE music festival centred around Redditch's historic bandstand is set to celebrate the borough's diverse community and culture.

The free event takes place next Saturday (September 22) between 2pm and 6pm around the iconic structure in the town centre.

There will be a mix of traditional and contemporary acts ranging from Alcester Silver Band to DJ King Majestic, Luke Truth, Otis Irie, Rauf and Hussain Ali Shah on sitar and Ghara, the Carey Academy of Irish Dance and many more.

The day will also see diverse drumming performances from all over the world including samba, bhangra and steel drum styles with performances from local groups with roots in British culture as well as Chinese, Polish, Indian, Irish, Pakistani and Caribbean.

There will also traditional harvest and heritage themed stalls to accompany the music and food on the day while Redditch historians will be on hand to provide a link to the borough's past. As well as celebrating Redditch's many ethnic communities the event will also form part of efforts to bring the Bandstand and surrounding area of Church Green back into use.

The Redditch Bandstand Festival is being put on by the borough council, Palace Theatre, West Mercia Police, Worcestershire County Council, Redditch Town Centre Partnership and Redditch Community Forum.

Sue Yeng, chair of Redditch Community Forum, said: "We are desperate for events space in the centre of town so if we can create a place people enjoy coming to it's going to bring new life and energy to the Church Green area. People forget about this area, some people don't even know where the bandstand is which is crazy.

"Being a new town a lot of old Redditch went and this is a part of old Redditch and we need to remember where our roots are and the church, bandstand and fountain are symbols of Redditch, and give it its identify.

"It's also a celebration of the diversity in our town. When the people of Redditch come together it's very special and makes you realise what we have here."

For more information on the festival visit www.redditchbc.gov.uk and click on the leisure section or call 01527 534123.

Regional news »