Thatcham Festival returns this weekend

There will be plenty to see and do as more than 50 events are planned from Saturday, October 11 until Friday, October 24.
The annual festival, now in its 13th year, will be opened in The Broadway Green by the mayor of Thatcham, Gary Johnson, which will coincide with a leisure and craft fair, and people can also head to St Mary’s Church for more crafty goings on.
The classic car show returns to Dunstan Green on Saturday, and 200 children from 12 local primary schools will descend on Thatcham Rugby Club for the 24th primary schools tag rugby festival at 9am.
You can also take your pick of Saturday’s other events with an open day at Henleys Allotments (11am-2pm); a cartoon and caricature workshop at The Hub (11am); philatelists can head to the stamp and postcard fair at the memorial hall (10am-4pm); and you can learn about the 40 years of Thatcham being a town in a talk by local historian Dr Nick Young at the Burdwood Community Centre at 7pm.
On Sunday the Festival Food Fair opens its doors with a range of local and regional producers serving up treats between 10am and 3pm at the Frank Hutchings Community Hall.
Former pupils of Kennet School will hold their seventh annual meeting at the school between noon and 4pm. Non-group members are also welcome to attend.

Further highlights of the first week include Apple Day at the Nature Discovery Centre on Sunday, 19, a kid’s craft event at the Frank Hutchings Community Hall on Friday, 24, an audience with writer David Winter, Latin & Ballroom dance classes, Kennet School art exhibition, a Watership Cantabile concert, a charity pop-up gallery and a team quiz.
Mr Johnson, said: “The festival is a showcase of the talent of Thatcham and the wealth of opportunities that are available in the town.
"I’d like to thank everyone involved this year. When reading the programme I realised that with over 50 events I would not be able to get to all of them but with such a range of things to do I hope everyone finds something that they enjoy.”
To ensure the festival is inclusive, entry continues to be free to the majority of events but some will charge an entry fee to cover costs and these are marked in the the programme with a £ symbol.
Visit www.thatchamfestival.info for full listings or pick up a programme from various outlets, including Picture It, which is the Festival box office for 2014.