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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I didn't have much time yesterday, but we popped up to Crouch End quickly and I grabbed a few snaps. It's not a festival in the Harringay sense of a festival. So most stuff isn't on show out on the streets. You need to visit the festival website to find out what's on where. There was a nice, if understated vibe around on the streets however. Did anyone else attend any of the events?

 

Crouch End Festival Bunting outside Hornsey Library

 

Lyne Featherstone, MP, at the opening ceremony

 

An imporomptu picnic by some locals on Broadway Green, opposite Budgens

 

'Poet in a Phone Box' by Broadway Green, opposite Budgens

 

Budgens' 'Food from the Sky' roof garden had open house for the day

 

A small but good natured crowd for one of the stage acts (Apologies to the band; I didn't get their name)

 

One of Crouch End's Big Issue sellers gets in the groove




Tags for Forum Posts: crouch end, crouch end festival

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Ya know I missed that link. He had one helluva fancy moustache. I wonder if he noticed the KFC ad in the phone box?

Yes, given the sheer number of venues involved, I think there has been an issue about letting people know what's on where. On Saturday there were a few people handing out foldout brochures. I wrote to the organisers when I got home offering to publish the leaflet and asking for a copy since I couldn't find it on the festival website. Someone was supposed to mail me a copy.

I guess a lot of work went in to the festival and I'm sure the organisers will be looking to see what worked well and what needs to be improved. It was an exciting and ambitious project which was almost inevitably going to have growing pains. So congratulations to them for what they've achieved and I'm sure they'll build any learning into the next festival.

I think you missed a lot of what was going on - Hornsey Library was buzzing on Saturday afternoon! 15  craft stalls, comic talks on Crouch End's history and  Open Studios Art in the gallery brought in the crowds. Little Red Riding Hood was at Moors bar, Sam was making mud sculptures with kids in the Square so there was something for everyone at different venues. The Festival brochure was available outside Budgens and in the Library and the website had even more comprehensive listings. And it's still going on! There's masses to choose from during the rest of the week - just not all in one place so you do actually have to do a little bit of work yourselves!

As it happens we did visit both the crafts stalls and the show in the art gallery. We also visited the art show in the interiors shop on Park Road featuring the work of the lady giving out leaflets outside Budgens. And we tried to get into the duet playing at the Haberdsashery, but space was very limited and we didn't get in. As the title of the post says, it was a quick visit so we couldn't catch everything.

I made the point right at the top of my post that events are everywhere and the festival website has them listed. I think people are happy to do the work to find events, but they do need an accessible way of finding out what's on where, hence my offer to host the leaflet.

I know people are really getting a kick out of the events and I hope the festival goes from strength to strength. 

Sorry - my reply was actually meant for Therese above, who seemed to be very, very negative about the Festival and in my opinion, unjustifiably so.

What's been your favourite bit of the festival so far?

I'm afraid I'm biased because I did help organise the Craft Trail but all the stallholders at the Library enjoyed Saturday afternoon which was excellent for both networking and selling. I also thought the May Day Gala at the Hornsey Vale Centre was hugely successful as so many children took part in lots of creative activities which was one of the Festival's aims (there are more children's workshops this weekend, too)

But my favourite 'activity' was the guerilla bunting  - huge involvement of the community and local schools, hundreds of pounds raised for Cancer Research and lots of colourful bunting brightening up the  grey, rainy skies.

I went with the family to the Crouch End Players' Hansel & Gretel in priory park, which was fantastic, as was the 'mahem mystery tour' around crouch end on monday with Kats Whiskers.

My favourite bit was definitely the surprise cinema though - shame it was so cold.

My plug now: please everyone go an see my photo exhibition at StJames Restaurant (at the back) and let me know what you think!

james

The Blues Band outside the town hall was brilliant. And the wriggling girl sang very well.

I'm afraid we had lots of problems getting the right licences from the council for performances 'on the street' - would have been nice, I agree - maybe next year! there is also insurance etc which gets a lot more complicated and costly the more you want to do.

and you don't have to 'spend your whole life' on the internet - just visit the site once is enough! The guides/programmes were handed out around crouch end, but clearly not everyone will get one - we would need a much larger print run for that.

There's been talk of the festival for months, and on the lead-up it was still difficult to find out exactly what was going on and where.

There is lots going on, but getting hold of a programme is not easy, so for next year I would suggest putting up large-scale itineraries in prominent spots around the festival area.

It was bitterly cold on Saturday which didn't help.

I went to the surprise cinema on Sunday night which despite being outside(I was fooled into believing it was in the library) it was  a great experience: silent Vampire movie Nosferatu accompanied by live band 'Wonderous'.

It really was enjoyable despite the cold extremities!

I've scanned my programme and attach it herewith.

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