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Duckrace Blakeney featuring artsFEST August 24th
Pre Event Activities & Workshops
FREE Batik Workshops at Blakeney Village Hall Book Today
Wed, Jul 24th & 31st, 10:30 AM
Wed, Aug 7th & 14th, 10:30 AM
Drop into these free workshops and create beautiful batik banners inspired by nature & put into the artsFEST parade, at Blakeney Duck Race. Age 10+ with 1:1 Adult Chaperone
Learn about Joanne here
Workshops in Advance
FREE Poetry Duck Workshops with local artist John Slater at the Dean Heritage Centre Wednesdays 1.30 – 4.00pm on 31st July, 7, 14 ,21 August.
Canopy Creative Network is delighted to support Blakeney and Soudley Primary School pupils by bringing in artist John Slater to the Dean Heritage Centre during the summer school holidays. John will be running duck making workshops at the Dean Heritage Centre which has kindly offered to give free access to pupils, a parent and siblings so you can enjoy everything the centre has to offer for free plus create ducks that will be put on sticks and carried at the Blakeney artsFEST Parade on Saturday 24th August as part of the famous Duck Race. These free sessions at the Dean Heritage Centre will be on: Wednesdays from 1.30pm on 31st July, and 7th, 14th and 21st August. There is free access for school pupils of Blakeney and Soudley schools, any siblings and an adult attending with them. A sign in sheet will will be at reception and you’ll just be asked which school you attend.
FREE Creative Walk in Nature
An inspiring creative walk in Blakeney supporting the Blakeney Duck Race &Blakeney artsFEST
Thursday 15th August 10am – 11.30am
A short walk exploring the woodland near the village recreation ground with lots of guided creative activities. Suitable for Parents and Primary Age Children. At the end of the walk children may wish to play on the playground equipment. There is no charge for this walk and all materials are provided but places must be booked in advance. If you need to cancel please let us know so someone else can take the place. Click for full details and pre booking
Programme of the Day
🎪 FREE singing workshop by People and Singing with Kirsty Abraham
11.15 – 12.15 at All Saints Church on Saturday 24th August.
Start off Duck Race Day with a sing!
Singing workshop: everyone welcome. No music reading required. We may even manage a song for the afternoon. No booking required just drop in at 11.15 at All Saints Church, Blakeney.
🎪 Free drop in watercolour art workshops with Emma O’Brennan of Wilful Ink from 1pm – 4pm on the field. Watercolour demos in All Saints Church, Blakeney 11:15-12:15, all welcome.
Learn about Emma here
🎪 Free drop in Poetry Duck Workshops with John Slater on the field
Learn about John here
🎪 Drybrook Male Voice Choir will be performing on the field during the afternoon at 2pm – 2.15pm and 4pm – 4.15pm
🎪 Darren Hoskins, Artist, Story Teller and Shepherd will be doing two story telling performances on the field during the Duck Race afternoon between 1-4pm
Learn about Darren here
🎪 Dorota Rapacz is a sculptor and a mould maker, living and working in a studio in the Forest of Dean. Join her for a clay workshop from 1-4pm on the playing field.
Learn about Dorota here
🎪 Local group, African Drumming Band DJABOT, will be joining the parade and and performing on the field at 2:45. Watch the performance and have a go!
Pictured here at artsFEST Coleford and as you can see from the photos they were great fun!
🎪 Our parade at 12:30 will be lead by local Samba Band, Forest Thump. See them perform on the field at 1 o’clock and have a go yourself !
Pictured here at artsFEST Coleford having a wonderful time!
🎪 Artspace will be running drop in aerial workshops on their outdoor rigs (weather permitting). Come and have a go at trapeze or aerial hammock.
All ages welcome, but under 8’s will need an adult with them.
🎪 Chris Waygood, Contemporary Textile Artist, will be running creative duck workshops from 1-4pm on the playing field. Join her!
🎪 Wild Oats Morris are a fun, inclusive, mixed Morris side based in the Forest of Dean. They dance both border and molly style, as well as their own style of dances. Formed in 2003, the side meets to practice every Monday, and take part in many events and dances out around the area. They are always looking for new dancers and musicians, so get in touch if you’d like to have a go! See them in the parade and at 1:30 on the field! Learn more about them here
🎪 Forest Community Shed will be offering people the chance to create wooden duck slices.
🎪 Between 1.30pm – 3pm, Krysa will be leading Canopy’s popular Creative Walks in Nature for parents and
children lasting half an hour each
Locate her in Canopy’s dedicated section on the field
11.15am – 12.15pm All Saints Church, Blakeney
People and Singing: everyone welcome for a singing workshop
Watercolour Demo: nature inspired watercolour demonstration with Emma from Wilful Ink
12.15 – 12.30pm All Saints Church, Blakeney
All gather for the Parade. Anyone and everyone is welcome to take part!
Parade led by Forest Thump with DJABOT bringing up the rear. Also Wild Oats Morris, People and Singing, Drybrook Male Voice Choir, Emma from Wilful Ink, school children and volunteers
12.30 – 12.45pm Parade from the church to blakeney recreation ground
12.45pm – 1pm Parade round the field as the gates open to the public
From 1pm Blakeney Recreation Field
1pm – 1.20pm Forest Thump performing : come and have a go!
1.30 – 1.45pm Wild Oats Morris
1.45pm – 2pm Darren Hoskins Story Telling
2pm – 2.15pm Drybrook Male Voice Choir
2.20 – 2.35pm People and Singing
2.45pm – 3.10pm DJABOT performing: come and have a go!
3.20 – 3.45pm Darren Hoskins Story Telling
4pm – 4.15pm Drybrook Male Voice Choir
1pm – 4pm Drop-in Art Workshops In Canopy’s area on the field
Watercolour Workshop with Emma O’Brennan from Wilful Ink
Clay Workshop with Dorota Rapacz
Creative Ducks with Chris Waygood
Crafting with Canopy Volunteers
Artspace Aerial Rig
Poetry Ducks with John Slater
Wood Duck Slices with Forest Community Shed
1.30pm and 3pm Creative Walks in Nature for Parents and Children
lead by Krysa lasting half an hour
Can you Volunteer?
We need volunteers & stewards!
Can you help?
We’re looking for support with running the artsFEST Blakeney for any times during the day August 24th, between 8.30am-6.pm
helping to direct visitors, erecting gazebos, stewarding parade, supporting farOpen artist workshops, dancing under a 15ft Chinese dragon, collating evaluation forms, supporting the photographer with obtaining consent forms & packing up at the end of the day.
If you’d like to volunteer with any of these roles at any point in the day, please send Katie an email fodcreativecanopy@gmail.com so we can discuss! Or use the contact page
Canopy Creative Network 