Woodbridge Harvest Fair Success

Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music's collaboration with Transition Woodbridge for their Harvest Fair 2023 attracted a bumper turn out for music, all age art workshops, and a square full of eco stalls and local food producers.

Taking place on Saturday 7 October, the day was an uplifting welcome to all things autumnal, with a clear eco-message supporting locally produced food.

Featuring a music stage with local and international acts, and a market place of environmental and local food stalls, the event was held by the River Deben, next to the town’s iconic Tide Mill Museum. The Longshed building was transformed into a pop-up art studio, with electricity-free art workshops programmed by artist Alice Stallard. Guest tutors included acclaimed artists Jo Chapman, Claire Hardaker and Holly Scholfield, plus Alice herself. Participants’ ages ranged from five to 76-years-old.

Musicians included rising international star Maella, from Prague, East Anglian rock-a-billy rebels JS and the Lockerbillies and Colchester based singer Kevin Pearce. DJ Ben Osborne hosted the event and local Woodbridge acts included East of the Sun, Dave Tricker and Andrea Skevington. The popular Anchors Aweigh! Art trail popped-up at venues around the town’s riverside venues.

Art workshops featured clay modelling, saori loom weaving, dry point etching, screen printing and badge making, while food included Oak Tree Community Farm, High House Fruit Farm, Hullabaloo vegan bakery, Tide Mill Flour, Clare Rizzo’s honey and bee products, Woodbridge Country Market, Woodyard Pizza and The Boathouse Bar and Kitchen, plus Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Bird Group, Ipswich Wildlife Group, Churches Together with Fairtrade and Transition Woodbridge themselves.

The Town Mayor, Eamon O’Nolann, thanked Transition Woodbridge and welcomed the crowd to the event, reminding them the summer-like sunshine was also a warning our planet is in crisis.

Woodbridge Festival founder and DJ Ben Osborne, says: “It was a fantastically positive day and we are very grateful to Transition Woodbridge for the invitation to collaborate. All the bands, whether local or from Colchester, London or Europe, said how beautiful the location was. They all want to play here again. The event highlighted local food producers and the music and arts programme kept the crowds engaged - with the positive vibes spreading across town well into the evening. We can't wait to do it again. And it's made the build-up to our eco-alternative fireworks show, with Fish Friendly Fireworks light art projections, even more exciting."

Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music is very grateful to Woodbridge Town Council, East Suffolk Council and Arts Council England for supporting for these events.