Fun for all

Months of planning and preparation will culminate in the business, community and leisure festival that opens on July 26 and runs until Sunday, July 28, in Monkton Park in Chippenham drawing tens of thousands of people into the town.

For many, the highlight of the event will be an all-star concert on Saturday night, featuring big name artists Edwin Starr and Eurovision singer Katrina, as well as a host of bands guaranteed to appeal to all the family.

But the fun never stops live entertainment will be provided on the main stage throughout the three days.

And demonstrations, dancing, hands-on activities, children's events, competitions and boat trips on the river are all on the cards, to make North Wiltshire Festival 2002 a weekend to remember.

More than 200 businesses are exhibiting in themed arenas, to promote their wares and invite visitors to take part in competitions.

Monkton Park and Island Park will be transformed into a colourful showground with a huge variety of entertainments.

The first day of the festival will have a business focus, with a reception for local company representatives, Business Link seminars and a corporate challenge event in Monkton Park in the afternoon.

Day two will provide a feast of entertainments.

Festival-goers can visit the community and business exhibitions, watch demonstrations by Whitehall Garden Centre and North Wiltshire Leisure, and take their children to see the Splott Brothers street theatre show or the Makendoo workshops.

As the afternoon draws to a close, the crowds will gather in Monkton Park for a concert to remember.

The night will kick off with a performance by the winner of the Battle of the Bands competition as voted for by local people at 5pm on the main stage.

Then Swindon boy band Ess Teem, eight-piece girl/boy band Bless'd, Respect, the Pasadenas, Heatwave, Katrina and soul legend Edwin Starr will sing and dance the night away.

The night will close with a spectacular firework display, when hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fireworks, sponsored by Jarvis, will explode over the town to signal the end of a memorable night.

Sunday will be family day, kicking off at 10am in Island Park with a festival market.

Gardening fans can visit an HTV Garden Roadshow in the morning, and another demonstration by staff from Whitehall Garden Centre.

Then at 5pm Chippenham Churches Together will present a concert by Christian musician and singer Noel Richard and his band.

His lively set of rock and gospel music will finish at 6pm, when a charity balloon race will be launched and, weather permitting, hot air balloons will rise into the sky, bringing the festival to a majestic close.

North Wiltshire Leisure Limited will have a stand at the festival and a packed programme of demonstrations and events over the three days.

On Friday NWLL will be offering free healthy lifestyle assessments to all the businesses at the festival.

At 2.30pm, at the NWLL stand, staff will present a two-week Caribbean holiday prize to Constance Amory, part of a promotion run earlier in the year to promote Activa membership.

NWLL is running lots of promotions and competitions over the three days, including £50 off Activa for Life membership. The special discount will apply to anyone who visits the stand or one of NWLL's leisure centres on the three festival days.

NWLL will also have a prize draw for three mountain bikes, donated by Halfords and Specialized, two of the many companies that work in partnership with NWLL.

The leisure company has also organised a host of displays. Children from as young as 18 months will impress an audience at the main arena from 10am on Saturday, with their pre-school gymnastics fun.

The junior gymnasts will show off their warm up routines and trampolinists will perform a few moves and routines, followed by a Tai Chi demonstration at 11am.

Visitors can also test out some of the Activa for Life gym equipment over the three days of the festival.

North Wiltshire Festival 2002 will also raise hundreds of pounds for charity.

District Council chairman Coun Brian Atfield is promoting the balloon race to raise money for Cancer Research UK and 25p from the sale of each programme will go towards the Gazette and Herald's St John Ambulance Appeal.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the local businesses that have supported the event, many of which have done so for several years," said Coun Atfield.

"I sincerely hope you enjoy your time at the festival and support the many businesses and charities that are represented.

"Let the fun begin."