Devizes Festival goes green this year
9:00am Saturday 12th January 2013 in Latest News
Monty Don will appear at the Corn Exchange in June
TV gardening guru Monty Don has been confirmed as one of the headline acts in this year’s Devizes Festival, due to take place over two weeks in June.
Mr Don has been a regular presenter of BBC gardening programmes since he first appeared on the gardening segment of Good Morning in 1993.
This followed two years of unemployment after the collapse of his jewellery making business which very nearly led to bankruptcy.
He succeeded Alan Titchmarsh as presenter of BBC’s Gardeners World and he has written widely on the subject of horticulture.
He will address the audience at the Corn Exchange on Saturday June 8.
As yet he is the only big name to be revealed but festival organisers are in discussion with a top-line comic and a well-known poet.
The festival has introduced its audience to many up-and-coming musicians over the years and it will welcome concert pianist Alexandra Dariescu to the town hall on June 18, a week after she makes her debut at the Royal Albert Hall.
Another act to have been confirmed is The Henry Girls, three sisters from Donegal in Ireland who play numerous instruments to perform traditional Irish music.
They are named after their grandfather, who encouraged them in their musical endeavours.
They perform at the Corn Exchange on June 6.
The classical ensemble Fiddlesticks are down to perform a lunchtime concert at St Andrew’s Church during the festival but they will also be taking workshops at Rowdeford School and entertaining residents at Southfield nursing home in Victoria Road.
Regular attractions, such as Café Scientifique, where discussion on a controversial topic is planned around a buffet meal at a local restaurant, and the free fringe festival, are being planned as well.
Festival chairman Ian Hopkins said: “I think our regular audience will find that this year’s programme is well up to the standard of previous years.
“We are delighted to have Monty Don coming and there will be other big names on the list when it is finalised.”
Tickets will go on general sale from the box office at Devizes Books in May but Friends of Devizes Festival have priority booking earlier than that.
For more details on how to become a Friend go to the website www.
devizesfestival.co.uk
