Addlestone Arts Keeps Addlestonians At It

As the weeks elapse following the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, bunting across the country is being taken down and a mild wave of excitement that even managed to stir sleepy Addlestone (if only along the aisles of TESCO) gradually dissipates. It leaves those who were awake enough to notice anything was going on in slightly more uplifted spirits, apart from a few republicans who at any rate are beginning to feel at ease as they can step foot outside again. Everyone's a winner.

But before people have quite had time to settle down they've found themselves swapping Pimms for a Strongbow as the next frenzy to sweep the nation recently arrived in the form of the UEFA Euro 2012 currently taking place and leaving televisions in homes all over the country trembling in fear as they have abuse hurled at them. Addlestone's televisions are more used to it.

So what more could people ask for, apart from a sunny day or two? Well, just when the people of Addlestone thought they had it all, Addlestone Community Association brings something extra special to the table: Addlestone Arts Festival 2012.

The festival, from 16th - 24th June this year and already in full swing carries on from previous years and involves a diverse range of events for Addlestonians of all ages, classes and ASBO-related curfews. I apologise retrospectively if my lax blogging has left you unaware of it as we approach its fifth day.

So on with the remaining events! Here is a rundown of what to expect:

Wednesday 20th June

2-4pm - Bingo - Addlestone Community Centre - £1 / book

8pm - 'Jazz on a Summer's Evening'  - Methodist Church - £7

Thursday 21st June

6.30-9.30pm - Antiques valuation and exhibitions - Addlestone Community Centre - £1 / valuation

8pm - Poetry evening - Abbey Moor Golf Club - Free

Friday 22nd June

6.30pm - 'Summer Serenade' live music - St. George's College - Entry fee

22nd - 24th 10am-5pm - St. Paul's Flower and Art Festival, a celebration in flowers of the Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics - St. Paul's Church (cream tea 2.30-4.30pm Fri and Sat) - Entry fee

Saturday 23rd June

10am-3pm - Street Fair - Station Road and Methodist Church - free parking in Garfield Road car park

 11am - Country dancing

 11.30am-1.30pm - Belly dancing

 12pm - K.A.T.S Productions Olympic Tableau

 12.30pm - Luke Edney on Guitar

 1pm - Songs by Wey Voices

 Face painting and more...

1pm-4pm - 'Party in our Park', fancy dress, live music, games, bbq - Victory Park - free entry

2pm - Come and try lawn bowls - Victory Park - equipment provided

Sunday 24th June

6pm - Community Thanksgiving Service - St. Paul's Church - free

These events aside, on Thursday 21st June from 10am-3pm there will be a Healthwatch Event at Runnymede Centre. As you can see, by anyone's standards this is a week not to be missed in Addlestone. Whether you don't miss it because you turn up, or you don't miss it because you're glad to see the back of it once it's over.

Follow @TheAddlestonian on Twitter and join the conversation, share your stories and experiences, and find out who else is going to be hitting Addlestone Town this week.

Celebrate the Jubilee Addlestyle

Anyone who's wandered down to Addlestone high street within the last few weeks (or driven through it as the more popular option remains) will have noticed the shop fronts of Station Road have been lined with Union Jacks.

What's the occasion, you ask? No, there hasn't been an overnight surge in support for the far right. The flags are in fact in preparation for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this coming Saturday 2nd June, which I'm sure is what really sprang to your mind in the first place. However, you can't help thinking they give the town an air of some futuristic distopian regime when looking towards the southern side of the hight street:

Station Road looking south, Addlestone

Then again, that side of the street does pretty well at that without the flags.

They might have struck you as a pleasant addition to the town on the whole, giving it a bit of colour and a certain buzzy vibe so often lacking in an otherwise drab and lifeless high street. They also bring a certain element of unity to the place, connecting everywhere from Kebab Land to Leighton's.

The flag may be a novel presence in Addlestone but it isn't by any means to our easterly neighbours in Weybridge, who have been waving red, white and blue since before Wills and Kate's Royal Wedding in April 2011. Although they seem to have pulled it off in a much more elegant way than Addlestone, the fact that their streets stay flagged up all year round does leave you in expectant wonder as to what in God's name the fuss is all about as you pass through.

Baker Street, Weybridge 

Baker Street, Weybridge

Baker Street, Weybridge

Perhaps it's to make visitors feel as if the people of Weybridge are celebrating their arrival that they'd been anticipating for only too long.

Station Road in Addlestone isn't the only part of town that's been tarted up. Addlestone's main focal point and fundamental core that the town depends on for activity has joined in on the festivities:

That's right, TESCO Extra hasn't only smothered its already riveting interior with Union Jacks but introduced some fabulous celebratory offers and even started blaring the likes of Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory through its speakers for everyone to enjoy - including the deaf, who will see the litre bottles of coke and six-packs of strongbow rattling off the shelves. Whether TESCO are using the occasion to cash in on people's party spirits and inner patriots and condition them to think the last thing they'd want to do is let the weekend pass without having hosted a royal bash of epic proportions with comestibles sourced solely from the megastore itself - or just want to celebrate the Queen's 60 years as head of state - is unclear.

So what's going on in Addlestone to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee? Here's a few events to be aware of:

Sat 2nd - Sun 3rd June

Pimms Patio Party - TopGolf Addlestone

Moated Farm Drive, New Haw Road, KT15 2DW

Sun 3rd June

Jubilee Hog Roast - Crockford Bridge Farm

Crockford Bridge Farm Shop, New Haw Road, KT15 2BU

Sun 3rd June

Family Fun Day - Crouch Oak Pub

Station Road, KT15 2BE

Mon 18th June

Diamond Jubilations Concert - Addlestone Methodist Church

Station Road, KT15 2AW 

As you can see, when I said a few, I meant it.

For information on more events going on in the local area this bank holiday weekend, have a look here.

If you're organising a street party or know of another event, feel free to leave a comment!

I call on all Addlestonians to have a royal blast on this Diamond Jubilee bank holiday, and to celebrate in true Addlestonian style. Or do better if you feel you can.

I'll be celebrating in the land of stars and stripes, so this will be the last post for two weeks. Thanks for reading, and Rule Addlestonia. *gives royal wave*