GALA UPDATE:
Below you will find all the details for the village's biggest event(s) of the year, the village gala. Each year we run this for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone on the village and to support our generous hosts Alex and Cinzia at the Blue Bell. Participating village groups and clubs get a share of the proceeds of the raffle and sponsorship after costs, and for many it is their main fundraiser of the year.
The marquee goes up next Monday/Tuesday, the heroes from Lux technical install the stage and their wizardry on Wednesday, and the whole things starts on Thursday when the beer festival opens and we have a giant Pub Quiz, courtesy of Easton's top question master and protector of the public, Ian Coupe. Book in teams of 6 at the Bell. Friday evening sees a welcome return of the Motor City Vipers- old friends of the Gala and a great Soul and Motown Band. It's free thanks to Alex, so the least you can do is to come and buy some beer and dance the night away. By the way, In an effort to cut down on plastic waste from disposable glasses, please bring your own pint (or half pint) glass- Alex and the staff will happily rinse them between drinks if you wish. Same applies all weekend.
Saturday daytime sees an extra Classic Car Show, organised and sponsored by local young entrepreneur Tom Hopkins, who is setting up a car auction business. The bar will be open of course and refreshments and all sorts of food available throughout the day.
On Saturday evening, EATS presents a Summer Panto, "Cinzerella". This is a departure from the "Easton's Got Talent" format but is still very much an amateur production showcasing local talent. or lack of it. We have a cast of 12, a chorus of 20+, and lots of audience participation. It's a comedy, unsurprisingly, and there will be plenty of laughs to be had, some of them intentional. Tickets are only available on the door, and capacity will be limited to about 200 so don't leave it too late. Curtain up at 7.30pm, with a 45min interval after about an hour to get your food, and then about 45 mins for Act 2. We've been in rehearsal since November so hopefully most will know their lines by next week!
Sunday is Alex's big Music and Beer festival, with 7 great bands, who love playing at the gala thanks to the welcome they get and the technical support from Lux. Again this is all funded by the Blue Bell- the bands, the marquee, and much more besides so come along and drink them dry. It's the least you can do.
Monday is the Village Fete, with stalls from participating groups and entertainment from the D'Ukes of Rutland, Harmony and Hormones on the Hill, and of course Welland School of Dance with their traditional Maypole Dance. The theme this year is "Easton on the Sea" so look for a nautical flavour to the day and some daft games. The major fundraiser is the Raffle -(top prize £250) and Silent Auction, so please make sure you buy some raffle tickets (£5 a book of 5) from the village shop, The Blue Bell, or any participating group. They will be available from me during the Sunday and Monday. Some great additional prizes have been donated, including Wimbledon Tickets, an Annual pass to Burghley, vouchers from Wothorpe Nurseries, etc etc. so have a go and see what you can win. Sean Sutton is also still accepting bottles for the bottle stall, so please donate if you can.
Thanks are due to lots of people but at this stage especially our sponsors who help defray our costs; Richardsons Estate Agents, Messenger BCR Ltd, Sharmans, Peter Mitchell & Son Farms, and Tom Hopkins Car Auctions.
Bad news
Many of the village clubs and organisations taking part are short of people to help run things. At the last Gala Planning Meeting only 4 people turned up. The BBB (Social Bowls) Club hasn't been able to take part at all this year, and as you will see below the Cricket Club is very sadly winding up completely. The recurring theme at the Annual Parish Meeting was the same- the few who help to organise and run things around here are getting fewer, and more fatigued in the process. Easton rightly has a great reputation as a community as well as a place to live, and that is at least in part down to all the clubs and societies that connect people and enrich their lives. We desperately need more people, young and not so young, to get on board with the planning and organising of clubs and events, as well as turning up. The Gala, especially the fete on Monday, is a great opportunity to talk to people about how you could help.
Hope to see you at the Gala- bring cash, a glass, and a willingness to help out!
Tim Nicol
Gala Co-ordinator
Please support the Gala in whatever way you can.
Come along and enjoy yourselves over the 5 days, laugh at the Panto, buy raffle tickets, buy beer, and lend a hand to put it all together and clear it all up. The organisers are, like many village clubs and groups, getting very thin on the ground, (only 4 attended the last meeting) and some village clubs are "on the critical list". In general the village needs more people to help organise and plan events as well as generate funds.
The Gala is the main fundraiser for many village groups, and we're every grateful to our sponsors for helping us to cover costs: Thanks a million to:
• Richardsons Estate Age • Messenger BCR Ltd
• Mitchell Farm • Sharmans • Tom Hopkins Car Auctions.
Lux Technical will be the heroes of sound and light as always and give of their time and equipment freely.
Please support them all as well as the gala.
Ways to help:•
Sell raffle tickets door to door or at the Gala
• Buy raffle tickets from Easton Stores or The Blue Bell or at the gala. • Donate extra prizes • Help put up bunting, set out the arena, and gazebos etc - Weds 24th pm and Monday 29th from 08.30 at the Bell. • Donate a bottle to the Bottle Stall- drop off at Shaun Sutton's house, 16 Porters Lane. Any bottle of anything will do, drinkable, edible or capable of applying to humans or machinery. Just so long as it's full. The Bottle stall is a great money spinner for all village clubs.
The whole village owes Alex and Cinzia at the Blue Bell a major debt of gratitude for
hosting the 5 days of fun and for paying for the Marquee, the bands, and many other incidental costs. The way to repay this generosity is to come along and drink lots of beer! (Cinzia is also a great sport for allowing us to hijack her name for the Panto!)
Hope to see everyone at some point over the weekend.
Tim Nicol
Easton on the Hill
Annual Gala and Beer Festival
Thursday May 25th- Monday May 29th
30 great beers and 10 great ciders
Refreshments and Food available throughout
At the Blue Bell, High Street, Easton on the Hill, PE9 3LR
Come and spend your Bank Holiday weekend “on the Hill”
Programme:
Thursday 25th May
Beer Festival Opens 5.00pm
Pub Quiz 7.00 for 7.30pm £15 per team of max 6. Food extra
Friday 26th May
Motor City Vipers on stage approx 9.00pm
Doors 7.00pm, FREE ENTRY
Saturday 27th May
Car Show from 10.00 organised by Tom Hopkins Prestige Car Auctions
7.30pm EATS Summer Pantomime- “Cinzerella”. Adults £4.00 u-16 £2.50
Sunday 28th May
Beer and Music festival. FREE ENTRY
7 great bands booked, 1pm-late
Monday 29th May
Pet Show 11.00-12.30, (register from 10.00)
“Easton on the Sea” Traditional Village Fete 12.30- 16.30
Stalls, Music, Maypole, Entertainment, Bouncy Castle etc.
Further information:
Blue Bell Easton on the Hill Tel 01780 763003
