What is Goosfest?

Goostrey Arts Festival, which has been affectionately dubbed Goosfest, is a week long series of events designed to enhance still further the cultural life of our village.

With 14 daily events at eight different venues in and around the village, and a week-long arts and flower exhibition at St Luke’s Church, Goosfest promises to offer something for everyone.

The festival will involve professional and amateur practitioners across the full spectrum of the arts, some of who live in Goostrey and others from outside. So whether it stand-up comedy, classical, folk or contemporary music, poetry, paintings, photography, pottery or sculpture that turns you on, Goosfest has it.

Over the years the people of Goostrey have demonstrated time and time again that they are willing to enthusiastically back arts events organised locally and it is this admiral tradition of support that has inspired us to arrange such an ambitious programme of events.

We hope you will enjoy it and you will come out and support the various activities throughout the week.

Who are our Sponsors?

Goostrey Parish Council

Where can I buy tickets for the Goosfest events?

Tickets may be bought for most of the events at Mrs. Kettle's general store and post office in the village main street.

Tickets may also be reserved for a limited period only when bought and paid for in advance. You may reserve tickets by contacting the event organiser. Tickets may also be purchased ‘on the door’ subject to availability.

Who are the event organisers and how do I contact them?

Art exhibition, Childrens Art Competition

Alison Rose 01477 533985

Folk Night and Comedy Night

David Giles 01477 571442

Classical Concert, Bunch of Fives Poetry night and Lecture

Bill Ollier 01477 544467

Battle of the Bands

John Sewell 01477 544571

What are the events at Goosfest?

Week long events from Monday 1 October to Saturday 6 October

Exhibition celebrating village life

St Lukes Church (11 - 3 daily) Free

The exhibition will include art, sculpture and photographs on a theme of village life. It will also include photographs taken by the children of Goostrey School as part of their summer holiday project and artwork, produced by each class in a variety of mediums on the theme of village life.

Coffee and cakes are for sale during the exhibitions at the church from Goostrey WI.

Flower exhibition

St Luke’s Church (11 - 3 daily) Donation

Goostrey Flower Club will be staging an exhibition entitled “God’s Garden” in celebration of 30 years of the club.

Daily Events

Monday 1 October

Stand up Comedy Evening

The Red Lion 8pm Tickets £5

Goostrey’s answer to the Comedy Club. Professional North West stand up comedians with their own brand of humour. Definitely adult entertainment!

Tuesday 2 October

West View Tenants Association Literary Lunch

Village Hall lounge 12-4.30pm Limited tickets £1

Come along and enjoy soup and a sandwich and bring either a favourite poem or piece of literature or indeed one of your own compositions for a literary recital after lunch!

The Lyndian Singers

St Luke’s Church 7.45 Donation

The Lydian Singers founded in 1980 are a mixed voice chamber choir that performs a wide variety of sacred and secular music. Based at Knutsford and led by John Naylor they have put together a programme of lighter music ranging from Gershwin to John Rutter and even include songs such as Miss Otis regrets!

Wednesday 3 October

Classical Concert

Goostrey Village Hall 8pm Tickets £5 (including interval glass of wine or soft drink)

“A medley of classical pieces” Natalie Boardman and Wendy Dolby Natalie began her violin studies at an early age learning the Suzuki method with her mother She became a member of the National Children’s Orchestra and later became leader of Trafford Youth Orchestra. Whilst at the Royal Northern College of Music, Natalie studied with Benedict Holland and David Adams. She has since trained as a Suzuki violin teacher and has played at many quartets and solo concerts.

Pianist Wendy studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has performed extensively at home and abroad, and received sponsorship from The Arts Council for a tour of Ireland, which included a broadcast recording on RTE. She teaches the piano and music theory at several schools including Holmes Chapel omprehensive and Goostrey.

Pub Scientifique!

The Mighty Atom! What’s it all about?

Upstairs Room, The Crown 8pm Limited ticket £2.50 (drinks interval)

Goosfest’s own version of café scientifique. A lecture by Dr Paul JA Howarth, Director of Research, Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Manchester. The audience will be invited to ask questions.

Thursday October 4

Professional Art Exhibition

Yellow Broom Restaurant 6.30pm Tickets £5 (including wine)

An opportunity to see the work of leading local artists and to find out who has won the various categories in the art competition held all week at St Luke’s Church

Folk Night

Orchard Farm 8pm, Twemlow Lane, Goostrey

The renowned folk band howdenjones have established a reputation for engaging their audiences with their thought-provoking and deftly crafted songs. To find out more about howdenjones and sample their music visit their website at www.howdenjones.co.uk Tickets £5 (bring your own bottle)

Friday 5 October

A Bunch of Fives Poetry Evening

Organised by Cheshire Rural Touring Theatre Network Goostrey Village Hall 8pm Tickets £5 (cash bar)

Step into the ring with all five Cheshire Poets Laureate for a punchy evening of sex, death and spoken word. It’s a boxing match and the weapons are poems not fists. It is presented as a match of five rounds complete with boxing props. The event will include audio-visual and sound effects and is designed for a wide-ranging adult audience.

Battle of the Bands

Old Youth Club 8pm Tickets £1 Local bands will battle it out to be crowned Best Band in under 18 and over 18 categories. Prizes to be awarded. Take to the floor with your band. Ages 7-70.

Saturday 6 October

Pottery workshop for 8 -11 year olds 10am -12noon

Methodist Church Hall Free

If you are aged between 8 and 11 why not come along and learn how to make a coil or slab pot. Open mike music session

‘Open Mike’ Acoustic Session

The Red Lion Saturday 11.30 am - 4.00pm

Drinks and food available for purchase at Pub throughout. Disabled access. This event is Free! Why not join in all the fun and music at the Red Lion Pub and either come along and perform or just listen to a number of acoustic musicians who have already signed up to entertain. Whether it is folk, country or jazz ,join in and we can guarantee you a great time.

Bryony Ollier and John Pickering, a jazz/country duo performing widely in Japan are back to give a set along with other local musicians. If you want to perform or further information please contact Bill Ollier 01477 544467 or David Giles 01477571442

Black and White Themed Disco

Village Hall 8pm til Late

Why not round off the week by letting your hair down with a fancy dress disco. The theme can be interpreted in any way you like!

Tickets £12.50 with buffet and a licensed cash bar. Contact Sally Ball on 01477 534160 All proceeds from this event will go towards VHPFF funds!

Sunday 7 October

Church Service

St Luke’s Church 6pm

A celebration of Goosfest in music and readings! A world first playing of a composition for percussion by Dave Hext! Kate Hext is performing with Goostrey school choir.

Dave Hext is Section Principal of the world famous Halle Orchestra. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London and became a member of the European Youth Orchestra and gained early experience by playing in almost every major orchestra in the UK. He has written extensively for percussion and Timpani and his works are prominent in all major exam syllabuses in the UK.

We are lucky enough that Dave is composing a piece especially for Goosfest to be performed for the first time tonight!

Kate Hext studied orchestral percussion and timpani for 4 years at Trinity College of Music in London and is a graduate teacher of Music. She is the Principal Timpanist of the English Ballet Orchestra and has also taught in many different educational establishments in London before moving to Cheshire. In 2001 Kate formed ‘upbeat education’ with her husband Dave to encourage percussion playing at Primary Schools. We are lucky that Kate promotes music for youth within our local community!