Festivals offer chance to discover culture and sport

Engage Festival of Culture 2012.South Gloucestershire Council’s ‘Engage’ Festival of Culture returns to Stoke Gifford this Saturday (7th July), offering a chance to discover and experience new cultures, food and music from around the globe.

The free event for the whole family is joined this year by a Festival of Sport that will see hundreds of primary school children from across South Gloucestershire competing in sports ranging from athletics to golf.

Both events are being held at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s WISE Campus [BS34 8LP], next to Abbeywood Community School in New Road, Stoke Gifford.

The action gets underways at 9:30am with an opening ceremony and parade for the Festival of Sport, followed at 10am by a spectacular opening ceremony for the Engage Festival led by TV’s Sherrie Eugene-Hart.

The Festival of Sport runs through to 2:30pm, with the Engage Festival continuing until 4:30pm.

Local schools and groups performing at the event include Baileys Court Primary School (contemporary dance) and Patchway’s Raise your Voice singing group.

Friends Life have generously opened up their car park for festival visitors – their car park is approximately five minutes walk from the WISE Campus.

The Engage Festival is organised in the style of an Olympic village – with themed areas including a stage showcasing music and theatre, storytelling and workshops, a food village and there is even an area featuring chainsaw carving with a local sculptor.

Engage Festival of Culture

Olympus Theatre

The main stage hosts performances including music, dance and drama from India, China, Africa, South America and Europe.

Activity Village – storytelling and workshops

The festival is not just about watching others in action, but having a go yourself. Join us for workshops or listen to stories from around the world.

Youth Village – outside area

This area is dedicated to young people aged between 11 and 25-years-old. The programme has been put on with families and children in mind so most activities are suitable for all ages.

Lifecycle’s Dr Bike

Dr Bike will be on hand to diagnose your biking woes and carry out free minor repairs to your bike to help you get the most out of cycling. Simply bring your bike along to the Dr Bike marquee between 10:30am and 2:30pm.

Green Village – outside the main entrance

Come and see local chainsaw artist, Andy O’Neill, create a stunning sculpture from a large piece of oak. take inspiration from Andy to make your own wooden pencil or bird box.

The Food Village

This is the place to discover different cookery and flavours from around the world, with an emphasis on healthy eating. Catch a cookery demonstration, displays and helpful information on where to shop for locally produced food.

Festival of Youth Sport

The Festival of Youth Sport will be officially opened by Cllr Ian Boulton, Vice Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council (SGC), and Airbus employee and formation skydiver Tim Cooke will be skydiving into the opening ceremony. All the children taking part in the day will do a parade around the athletics track before the day’s events kick off at 10am.

Young people will be competing in a variety of sports including athletics, pop lacrosse, tri golf and multi-skills tennis.

Cllr Boulton said:

“The Festival of Youth Sport is all about giving children a memorable and enjoyable experience of sport. The event encourages links between schools and sports clubs and helps to raise the profile of local sporting opportunities and identify some home-grown sports stars of the future.”

Mark Stewart, Airbus Filton General Manager and Human Resources Director, said:

“Airbus has sponsored the Festival of Youth Sport for 11 years now and we are excited to be a part of an amazing event that has achieved so much in the community. Over 32, 000 children have benefited from sports coaching in their schools and it has helped raise the profile of local sport and sporting opportunities in the area. As a local company we see this as a great opportunity to support our local community and to be a part of the festival in 2012, a year which promises to be an exciting time for sport in our country.”

More information:

WISE Campus, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, Stoke Gifford.

Photo: WISE Campus, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, New Road, Stoke Gifford.

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