Stamford is rich in history and here at ESP we can’t think of a better place to host a Georgian Festival than this beautiful Lincolnshire town.
Organised by South Kesteven District Council (SKDC), The Stamford Georgian Festival returns this year, running from September 25 – 27, and history fans can watch as Stamford’s stone streets come alive with stories from the past.
There’s so much planned during the festival with a wide range of fun activities that will appeal to all age groups including a return of the ever-popular Horrible Histories, with a new Barmy Britain show in the Corn Exchange direct from the West End and new for this year, an impressive mail coach and horses taking passengers through Burghley Park.
Weekend activities include a Georgian fashion show, talks, music, walking tours, antique book fair, organ recital at Burghley House, drama, speciality gin tasting and much more.
Markets with around 50 traders will enliven the streets over the main weekend and there’ll be Georgian traders on The Meadows. The town hall will also be open for tours to show off its amazing collection of civic memorabilia.
The highlight on the Saturday evening will be the recreation of ths Stamford bull run when hundreds of people will parade through the town centre with the big finale finishing on The Meadows with music and pyrotehcnics.
One of our particular favourites out of the various events planned are the mock trials which are set to re-kindle the harshness of the Georgian legal system, with an interactive trial in the Town Hall’s old courtroom of the 1749 trial of Elizabeth Taylor, flogged for stealing clothes.
SKDC chief executive Beverly Agass says: “The festival gives us the chance to celebrate everything that’s great about Stamford, both historically and as the modern, enchanting town that it is today.
“Stamford’s second Georgian Festival is very much building on the success of our first event in 2013 when some 22, 000 people visited the town on the Saturday.
“As a council we constantly strive to promote Stamford as a great place, not only as a destination and a wonderful place to visit, but also an incredibly attractive place to live work and invest in.”
Much of the festival is free to visitors such as the street market; however you will need to get tickets for special events such as Horrible Histories, ghost walks and the Georgian fashion show.
For more info on this wonderful event you can visit www.stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk and tickets are available from Stamford Arts Centre on 01780 763 203.
Anna Ruggiero
Photos: Anna Ruggiero
Comments