Comedy, folk music and light opera to entertain Thornbury Arts Festival audiences.
NHS anaesthetist, comedian and author Ed Patrick will be among the star performers at this year’s Thornbury Arts Festival.
Folk duo Filkin’s Drift, who made headlines globally when they completed an 870-mile concert tour on foot around the coast of Wales, will also play at the event this autumn.
Ed Patrick has written for and performed on BBC Radio 4, as well as appearing at venues across the UK, including at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
He comes to Thornbury as part of his debut Catch Your Breath tour, sharing its title with his book, which follows his journey from bewildered medical student to unflinching anaesthetist on the NHS frontline.
His show - for those over 16 - will be part of a programme that is currently being finalised by the volunteer group behind the arts festival for the last weekend in September and first weekend in October.
The team booked Filkin’s Drift after being impressed by the duo’s radical approach to sustainable touring. The pair - Seth Bye and Chris Roberts - walked with their instruments strapped to their backs and played at nearly 50 venues during the 60-day Wales challenge last year.
The musicians are renowned for their live performances on guitar and fiddle and are expected to attract a large audience to enjoy their Thornbury show.
Meanwhile, the Bristol Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society are set to stage a concert version of The Pirates of Penzance and there will be a couple of daytime talks, including one on the conservation work of Bristol Zoological Society.
By popular demand, local historian Meg Wise, will also lead a Sunday walk entitled God, Gossip, Scandal and Riot around Thornbury.
Information on performers, speakers, dates, times, venues and ticket sales will be revealed during the summer, with the festival website www.thornburyartsfestival.org.uk updated as details are confirmed.
With the Armstrong Hall still closed, the festival committee has again had to look at alternative venues in order to stage the event. They include some in Thornbury but also halls in nearby villages.
The Arts Festival came into being in 1969 with varied programmes of events covering music, drama, film and comedy, as well as visual arts.
Signatures in the archive album range from an astronaut, an explorer, radio and television personalities and actors, writers and scientists as well as singers and musicians.
The programme also includes lunchtime talks and entertainment and a walk.
As one of the longest running arts festivals in the country, the Thornbury event is run entirely by volunteers and boasts a mix of daytime and evening events to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.
More details are available on the Arts Festival website www.thornburyartsfestival.org.uk - and also the facebook page.
Since the 1980s Thornbury Eisteddfod, as part of Thornbury Arts Festival, has provided a platform for young performers who enjoy, drama, singing and playing musical instruments.
This is a very inclusive festival, designed to encourage young people of all abilities.
The aim of the Eisteddfod is to make taking part enjoyable and to be a celebration of the great range of talent in the local area.
The Eisteddfod is open to all young people aged from 4 to 21 and the disciplines cover Speech and Drama, Vocals including Choirs, and Instrumentals.
Click here to find out more and see the latest syllabus, or email Kate Phillipson-Masters: .
The Severn Vale Art Trail represents the visual side of Thornbury Arts Festival.
The trail has become an annual event running over the early May Bank Holiday.
The trail consists of a number of group exhibitions, together with many individual artists, displaying their work in and around Thornbury and neighbouring towns and villages in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire.
Enjoy an afternoon, day or the whole weekend exploring the trail from Stinchcombe down to Alveston, discovering talented local artists displaying their art in their own studios or shared venues.
The diverse range of work includes: paintings, photography, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, glass art, mosaics and much more!
Many of the venues have refreshments for sale or are located close to local coffee shops, and include interesting churches, working studios and community buildings.
This is a great opportunity to support local artists and purchase original artwork and gifts, or simply to enjoy an inspiring day out!
For details of all the artists and venues (including accessibility, directions and opening hours), and to view the trail map, please visit www.severnvalearttrail.org or pick up one the printed trail guides from local shops and cafes.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @severnvalearttrail for all the latest updates.
@mythornbury