| Back |
Ryde Arts Festival 2007
This year's Ryde
Arts Festival burst into town in spectacular fashion on Saturday 7th July.
The largest mixed arts event to take place on the Isle of Wight is now
in its seventh year and this time around the week-long infusion of local
artists, musicians and performers featured events staged at various locations
throughout the town, both indoors and out.
Boasting a fun-filled program varied and plentiful enough to span a seven-day course, the Arts Festival eventually drew to a close on Friday July 13th. The festival was organised by Ryde ArtWorks, the body of enthusiasts who actively encourage groups of promoters, performers, poets, photographers, musicians, artists, schools, community groups and art experts to join together in producing an extraordinary blend of creative skills and knowledge.
A breathtaking burst of lively luminosity
The highly extravagant
annual Arts Parade once again became the pivotal event responsible for
coaxing the whole town out onto the streets and getting everyone into
the festival spirit. Residents and visitors combined together with shop
workers, pub landlords and local businesses to fill the pavements of Star
Street, the lower High Street, Union Street and Ryde Esplanade. Also to
the relief of everyone, the sun put on a brilliant display of its own
- helping to bring a smile to most faces and swiftly melting memories
of the rather damp and drizzly start to the summer the Island has experienced
so far.
With almost every young person in Ryde having contributed in some way
to the parade; over 2000 children and adults representing schools, community
groups, family learning groups plus other participants took the Victorian
town by storm as they unveiled the results of months of hard work and
intense creativity based upon the chosen theme of "Great Artists and Masterpieces."
Every
year the IW Council, who are responsible for organising the parade, decide upon a theme that schools in particular are able to associate
with the work they are already doing in the classroom. It is therefore
hoped that the parade also boasts educational values as well as being
an enjoyable event for the youngsters to take part in. From Picasso to
Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock to Salvador Dali, Mondrian to Matisse, their
costumes exemplified a living illustration of the History of Art in 3D
technicolor set to a specially compiled compilation of uplifting melodies
which set the tone for the day and got the crowds dancing.
A medley of merriment
To
add to the impressive list festivities taking place, this year's Ryde
Regatta was brought forward in the summer calendar so as to coincide with
the Arts Festival. Needless to say, the 3-day Regatta, organised by the Ryde Regatta Committee, brought with it
music a-plenty, beach soccer, market stalls, BBQ, beer tent and a superb
firework display to name but a few of the range of activities on offer.
For those who followed the Arts Parade down to the Esplanade live music
and hip-hop demonstrations provided them with a warm greeting. This included
a live guest appearance from SW STORM (top international soca artist)
prior to the highly anticipated carnival parade prize giving. Please click
here to view further details of this year's winners.
The
weekend later stepped aside to allow the remainder of the week's events
to get underway. The long list of participants included many superb examples
of homegrown talent, along with community arts and internationally acclaimed
artists. From musicals to exhibition previews, professional talks to poetry
readings and brass bands, concerts and tea dances, the line-up certainly
administered justice to this illustrious celebration of the arts.
©2011 Isle of Wight Council
| Disclaimer
| Privacy |
Contact WebTeam | Direct Gov
| Freedom of Information | Report a problem