May's Gossip article

Each month, the Audlem Online team sends a 500-word article about the village to the publishers of the Whitchurch Gossip and Market Drayton Gossip magazines.

These excellent publications are widely (and freely) distributed in North Shropshire and many in Audlem see a copy, particularly of the Whitchurch magazine. Many of our readers, however, are outside their distribution area.

We thought you might like to read what we said about the village earlier this month in the May issues:

Audlem Festival coming up

The last day of May sees the start of a very special event. It’s the 12th Audlem Music & Arts Festival and it’s bigger and even better this year with over eighty acts and shows to enjoy over six days.

Regulars at the Audlem Festival will know this is one of the most enjoyable for many a mile. And, even better, it’s all free.

Even the performers agree as a member of a band shouted out: “This is a fabulous festival; just the right size; just the right venues and just the right beer!” It says it all.

The Audlem Festival started in 2000 as an idea by then resident Paul Moran. Paul had moved to Audlem for some peace and quiet having lived in inner-city Manchester for the previous 30 years. He was amazed that such a small village had so many talented and in many cases full-time professional musicians and artists.

He decided that the Audlem Carnival should join with musicians and artists to form a weekend of great music and art exhibitions combined. A team was assembled and the whole project has developed into an annual treat for music and art lovers across the country, and festival attendance continues to grow.

Who will forget last year’s Sunday afternoon when the likes of the reads - now a favourite with many plays on national BBC radio – and The Travelling Band, one of Manchester’s top bands and Glastonbury veterans, provided an afternoon that remains a glorious memory.

There’s music to suit all tastes in a wide range of venues – the village pubs, churches, halls and outdoors. And art too with exhibitions that will entertain and amaze.There’s new events at the Audlem Festival each year. Hosted by festival friend and performance poet Emma Purshouse, on the opening night, Thursday 31st May at the Bridge Inn there will be the first ever Audlem Poetry Slam.

Around 15 performance poets will go head to head in a live poetry competition. They have each got three minutes to wow the audience and the invited panel of judges. Three poets will remain to battle it out in the final. Expect fast moving verse and witty rhymes as they fight it out to be crowned Audlem Slam Champion. Poets from the West Midlands and the North West have already been signed up and there’ll be local entrants too.

The Festival runs from Thursday 31st May to Tuesday 5th June and includes the Audlem Carnival on Monday 4th June, the 200th anniversary of the first Audlem Wake.

Later in the summer there’s another great musical event. Tickets are now on sale for Audlem's Jubilee Party in the Park taking place on Saturday 7th July. 

An unprecedented quarter of tickets have already been sold and there are only a few gazebo spots left for a line up of: 'Sincerely Abba', 'This is Buble' and critically acclaimed as "The UK's top Tribute to Freddie Mercury & Queen" 'QEII' – along with a fireworks display finale. 

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.