Council hopes Basingstoke Festival will be "bigger and better" (From This is Hampshire)
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Organisers are being asked to register local events
1:00pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
ORGANISERS of local events between June 20 and July 14 are being asked to register them to be part of Basingstoke Festival.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council hopes the second annual Basingstoke Festival will be even “bigger and better” in 2013, despite doubts as to whether a major feature of the summer event will take place.
As reported in The Gazette, Councillor Elaine Still, the borough council’s Cabinet member for communities, sport and culture, will decide by the end of January if Basingstoke Live can go ahead this year.
The free weekend music event at War Memorial attracts thousands of people, and supporters have mounted a strong campaign against scrapping it.
But the borough council hopes Basingstoke Festival will still be a success, whether or not Basingstoke Live goes ahead.
Last year, almost 90 events including art, drama, music, dance and comedy took place in more than 20 venues across the borough as part of the first-ever festival.
Individuals, community groups, schools and organisations are now being encouraged to be part of the festival and to register events taking place from June 20 to July 14.
Cllr Still said: “We were thrilled with the response to last year’s festival and are keen to build on the number of events and the venues staging these in the borough this year.
“Basingstoke Festival is a real chance to showcase the borough’s thriving professional and community arts sector and rich cultural assets.
“It is also a chance for the community to come together and create something special in their area for the borough’s residents and visitors to enjoy.
“I hope lots of groups and venues will take this chance to promote their events to a wider audience.
“The festival will highlight what already happens in the borough, and it has the potential, in the future, to attract additional funding, sponsorship and income to boost cultural activities.”
For more information or to register an event visit basingstokefestival.co.uk, email festival@ basingstoke.gov.uk or call 01256 844844.
Registration closes on March 22.
