Kenilworth Festival to start next Thursday

A scene from a previous Party in the Park

Top musicians at the festival include singer-songwriter Blair Dunlop, who will be playing at Kenilworth Castle on Friday at 7pm, supported by Kitty Macfarlane.

Saturday will see Coventry musician Johnny Rickard perform his Neil Diamond tribute act at the Holiday Inn at 7:30 pm, and the recently-revived Warwick Community Band will be playing at Abbey End earlier in the day at 2pm.

Finally, the Italian pianist Samuele Rossini, the descendant of the composer Gioachino Rossini, will perform at St Nicholas Church on Sunday at 7:30 pm.

The ever-popular Party in the Park, which is free to attend, will take place on Sunday in Abbey Fields from 10:30am to 5pm, featuring live music, rides for children to enjoy and market stalls selling a variety of goods.

Lewis Smith, the festival director, said: “I think this year the programme has a really diverse mix of events with something for everybody, from award-winning musicians to internationally renowned tribute artists.

“We’ve got quite an impressive collection of acts with a range of styles.”

Alternatives to live music can be found throughout the festival.

On Thursday, Andrew Davies will be discussing his new six-part BBC TV series War and Peace, based on the classic novel by Leo Tolstoy at the Holiday Inn on Thursday at 7:30pm.

Kenilworth School will be the venue for a barn dance led by folk group The Jam & Crumpet Band on Friday at 7:30 pm.

Saturday will see The Gallery host an exhibition of historic Kenilworth photography from 3:30 to 5pm, and The Tree House Bookshop will hold a poetry reading event from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

Mr Smith was happy that local shops and businesses like The Gallery and The Tree House Bookshop are getting involved with the festival, adding: “I think it’s good that we’ve started to build connections within the town.”

Further information about the festival can be found at kenilworthfestival.co.uk, and tickets to the festival’s events can be bought at various shops in Kenilworth or at ticketssmart.co.uk/product-category/kenilworthfestival.