A new outdoor music festival is being planned for this summer.
AyscoFest – as it is currently being dubbed – will be held in the glorious gardens of Ayscoughfee Hall with the carnival atmosphere extended into Spalding town centre.
Revellers will be able to expect eight hours of live music as well as stalls and additional entertainment.
Ayscoughfee Gardens will host AyscoFest
“Expect a music event that will be centred around a family atmosphere and offer a whole host of entertainment for all,” South Holland district councillor Ingrid Sheard, who is organising the event with Coun Mark Le Sage, told Spalding Town Forum last Tuesday (January 30).
Spalding singer-songwriter Meg McPartlin will open the show at noon, while the concert will be closed by funk and soul party band Groove Cartell.
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Coun Le Sage was unable to attend the forum, but sent a message read out by Coun Sheard: “The AyscoFest, as we are calling it, will take place on July 27.
Ayscoughfee Hall
“It will run from 12 noon until 8pm in the evening.
“It will be local groups playing between 12 and 8 and the event will continue into the town where local businesses are asking to continue a musical, carnival atmosphere.
“There will be kids games, face painting.”
Coun Ingrid Sheard
A sold out cinerma event was held in the Ayscoughfee grounds last year.
Also speaking at the forum, Kevin Taylor of Churches Together Spalding & District revealed he had hoped to revive the Party in the Park event in Ayscoughfee Gardens – but, at a meeting with hall management, was told he couldn’t hold a religious event.
“Before the pandemic we used to hold an event once a year as Churches Together called Party in the Park,” he said.
“When I went and enquired of the management this year, I was told ‘we don’t allow anything religious’.
Coun Mark Le Sage
“I wonder who could help me out with that?”
Coun Liz Sneath responded that she would bring that question up at a planned meeting with Ayscoughfee management.
“I’ll raise that as i’m very surprised and frankly quite disappointed,” she said.
Coun Jan Whitbourn and Coun Mark le Sage – via a message – highlighted the Service of Remembrance and a Lithuanian community event both recently held in the Ayscoughfee grounds which both had religious elements.
Coun Gary Taylor
Coun Gary Taylor – who also reminded the forum about the Spring into Spalding event which will be held in March – said it was vital that SHDC did more to promote public events.
“We get criticism from people who don’t know about events until they’ve taken place and its too late then,” he said.
“Events make the town vibrant so it’s important to keep people informed of upcoming events and support the events as well as possible.
“We can all make more of an effort to publicise events to make them more prosperous and bigger and better.”
The news comes as Coun James Le Sage floated the prospect of punting on the River Welland in a bid to boost the town and make more of the river as an attraction.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to this event? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below…
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