Enjoy nature, art, and entertainment in a relaxed and interactive way at the Shoreham Midsummer Festival

SHOREHAM Midsummer Festival returns this Sunday (24 June – 2-9pm) with an eclectic and exciting line-up of musicians, performers, artists, and workshops (see details of location below).

Set in the idyllic riverside grounds of the Quadrangle, in Shoreham village, the event attracts visitors of all ages to watch, listen, play and participate in the wide variety of activities, which offer something a little different to the standard fare of community festivals.

The festival has been going since 2013 and the focus is on allowing visitors to enjoy nature, art, and entertainment in a relaxed and interactive way. There are some favourites which return regularly, such as drumming in the yurt, but every year the festival introduces audiences to fascinating new acts and activities.

This year’s festival coincides with an announcement about the Samuel Palmer Trail, an audio walking tour created in collaboration with the artist Victoria Threlfall, Sarah Newman, and the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme.

To celebrate Samuel Palmer in advance of the trail’s launch, the Shoreham Village Players will perform A Valley of Vision, a light-hearted take on the life and times of Palmer, one of Britain’s most respected and brilliant artists, who lived and worked in Shoreham in the 1820s-30s, producing his most imaginative and visionary art.

Other activities and performances include: Playground of Illusions (Outdoor Theatre) – A collection of ‘giant toys’ that each contain a visual or auditory illusion, placed in an area that the audience is free to wander around and explore. Buffo’s Wake (Music) – Brilliant, high-energy, carnival craziness from festival favourites Buffo’s Wake. Eastern European sounds and frenetic, beautiful instrumental ensemble get audiences up on their feet and dancing. 3D Willow Art (Workshop) – Work with the strikingly creative artists-turned-puppeteer-turned-performer Isobel Smith, making any object which the imagination is capable of conceiving. Etching with Seal Chart Artists (Workshop) – Make your own intaglio (foil impressions) print with a portable printing press. Gong Workshop – Sculptor and musician Lesley Pover introduces participants to her concert gong, exploring resonant sounds for relaxation and contemplation. Yoga (Workshop) – Lucy Holland gives participants the opportunity to try out yoga moves, finding ways encouraging bodies to take up new, flexible poses, with lots of blissful, lavender-enhanced relaxation. Praxis Storytelling – Storytelling workshop with young refugees, led by Festival regular Arji Manuelpillai, a poet, rapper and performer. Public art – Artist Daniela Ironside will be leading a workshop with the aim of creating a very, very long piece of public art.  Grab a paintbrush and give it a go.

The Sevenoaks restaurant Brisket and Barrel will be on hand to provide delicious slow-cooked meats and fresh vegetarian offerings to hungry festival-goers.

Festival organiser Sarah Newman said: “This year’s festival is particularly exciting because we are celebrating Samuel Palmer’s life and work with everything themed around art and nature. Plus there is a fantastic combination of local talent and innovative acts from further afield. We look forward to welcoming festival-goers to the stunning Darent Valley grounds of the Quadrangle for music, performance, art, and fun.”

Location

The Shoreham Midsummer Festival is being held at The Quadrangle, off Shoreham Road, Shoreham, Kent TN14 7RP (the lane is accessed from the A225/Shoreham Road near the junction with Fackenden Lane)

The Quadrangle is a 15 minute walk from the Shoreham train station.  There is a public footpath that leads to The Quadrangle and the entrance is about 100m passed the entrance to Darenth Valley Golf Club on Station Road. There is limited parking, so public transport encouraged.  Or park in the village and walk over, but be aware, at time of writing there are still road works and a diversion if you approach the village down Station Road from the A225.

Tickets: £10 (children under 12 free when accompanied by an adult); includes entry to workshops.

Tickets can be purchased via the website below, from the Shoreham Village Shop in Shoreham High Street, from Lark on Dartford Road in Sevenoaks, or at the entrance gate on the day.

https://shoreham-midsummerfestival.org/

Further information on Samuel Palmer: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/samuel-palmer-411

Further information on Buffo’s Wake: www.buffoswake.co.uk/music