CULTURE vultures will be spoilt for choice when the Rugby Festival of Culture returns to the town next month.
The two week festival, supported by Rugby First and Rugby Borough Council, runs from Friday July 1 to Sunday July 17 across the town centre.
The sixth annual festival will feature music, dance, theatre, film, comedy, art, literature and poetry, food and drink, and more besides for young and old alike during a busy 18 days. Many events are also free to attend.
Music of many styles will be heard.
David Bowie will be remembered when tribute band Absolute Bowie celebrating the legacy of the superstar, who died earlier this year. The five-piece band will take fans on a musical journey through the singer’s six decade long career, from his early hits, ground-breaking Ziggy Stardust period, Aladin Sane and Thin White Duke eras of the 1970s, to his Let’s Dance days of the 1980s.
Tribute is also paid to other superstars in Viva Tribute Night at the Benn Hall on Sunday July 10.
Prepare for classics from the songbooks of Neil Diamond, Michael Buble, and the King himself, Elvis.
Rugby’s own Dukes Jetty and Behind the Settee will be taking to the stage. There will be indie rock from The Tom Wright Band, rockabilly rock & roll of The Doggone Band, and Cajun/bluegrass rhythms of the Dave Broadfield Duo.
Lincoln Noel will be tinkling the ivories with his trio playing everything from jazz to Disney tunes, the Voices of Unity Gospel Choir will deliver some uplifting tunes, and a flavour of India can be enjoyed courtesy of Sapna Woodit and Friend Sega complete with Bollywood and belly dancing.
Footapping tunes from the 1930 and 40s will be served up by The Swing Museum, indie folk and more by Paper Street Company, an acoustic repertoire by guitarist Andy Smith, and classical violin from Andy Rackham.
Stringfever return to town after their appearance at the Rugby Wold Cup Festival, while Rugby Philharmonic Choir present an evening of American Music, and Rugby’s own amateur opera company Random Opera offer people the chance to join them for A Night At the Opera.
Zeemon Fest is also back with a range of music for the whole family over three stages, together with stalls and a barbecue. All money raised from the event at Lawrence Sheriff School on July 8 will go to Pancreatic Cancer Research.
Theatre includes everything from David Walliams’ Ratburger – voted top children’s book in 2012 – to Shakespeare’s ever-popular tale of magic and mischief A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to Kenneth Grahame’s equally timeless tale of riverbank life, Wind in the Willows.
And festival-goers will even have the chance to help out some young thespians by joining in the making of a giant peach collage at St Andrews’s Church on July 2, which will feature in a production, by pupils from Northlands Primary and Dunchurch Infants, of Roald Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach, being performed on July 10.
Off the page, Gyles Brandreth offers a little Word Play, with an evening of puns, euphemisms, malapropisms and more.
Rugby Writers will be staging an Open Mic night on July 7, and Warwickshire Poetry Voices will be serving up classic and contemporary verse.
Art will also be on show around the town, including an art trail, and a number of exhibitions will focus on textiles, and people can even try their hand dying silk for embroidery at a workshop.
Tastebuds are sure to tingled at The Food Fayre taking place in Market Place on July 14, while those who like a tipple will also be served. Real ale lovers will be heading for the Benn Hall on July 2 for Rugby Drinks Festival, while the Merchants Inn will host a Cider and Gin Festival.
A free guide has been produced offering full details of the festival programme.
It is available online at from Rugby Visitor Centre, email [email protected], or call 01788 533217.
Visit www.rugbyfestivalofculture.co.uk to view the programme online.
