Walsworth Festival 2018: Fun in the sun is a massive hit

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Jp Asher

Published: 2:59 PM May 21, 2018

Updated: 8:14 PM November 1, 2020

Walsworth Festival 2018: Youngsters enjoy the medieval fighting. Picture: Alan Millard - Credit: Archant

The best in years – that was the general feeling yesterday at Hitchin’s Walsworth Festival.

Walsworth Festival 2018: Lesnick School of Ballet and Theatre Arts. Picture: Alan Millard - Credit: Archant

The volunteer-run event, billed as the largest free family festival in North Herts, has been held on Walsworth Common every May since 1974.

It had been feared the 2017 festival would be the last – but committee chairman Oonagh Sherlock’s rallying cry through the Comet six months ago brought in a lot of new volunteers.

The result was a sun-drenched Sunday of fun at one of the best-attended Walsworth Festivals in recent memory.

Walsworth Festival 2018: North Herts District Council chairman John Bishop enjoys getting inked with a blue dinosaur at the Hitchin East Girlguides stand, as festival committee chairwoman Oonagh Sherlock and guide leader Jo Clinch look on. Picture: Alan Millard - Credit: Archant

Oonagh told the Comet: “It all went fantastically well. Thank you to everyone who made the day so fabulous, and special thanks to all the volunteers who gave their time before, during and after the festival. We couldn’t run it without them.”

Highlights included the medieval antics of 15th-century re-enactment group the Companie of the Silver Arrow, Dennis the Fire Engine and the Ladder 87 team, Hitchin Belles footballers and the Purwell Panthers cheerleaders.

There were also performances from the Hitchin Youth Brass Band, the Letchworth Morris Men, Ambition Dance Academy, Crystalites, the Lesnick School of Ballet and the Hitchin School of Russian Ballet.

Walsworth Festival 2018: North Herts District Council chairman John Bishop, festival chairman Oonagh Sherlock and Walsworth councillor Elizabeth Dennis with a teddy bear. Picture: Alan Millard - Credit: Archant

Stevenage & District Scouts’ Lookwide Express landtrain toured the common all day – and there were classic cars on hand, courtesy of Felix Camfield-Walker from Farley’s hair salon.

There were also craft stalls in Walsworth Community Centre on the other side of Woolgrove Road, and events in St Faith’s Church including the Purwell and Priory school choirs, and Egyptian dancing with the Banat Al Gharb group.

Oonagh is to step down as festival chairman at the next annual meeting after seven years running the show.

Walsworth Festival 2018: The Letchworth Morris Men enjoy the crowds. Picture: Alan Millard - Credit: Archant

In the festival programme, she wrote: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone with whom I have worked on this fabulous festival over the years, and look forward to it continuing for many years to come.”

Next year’s Walsworth Festival is in the diary for Sunday, May 19, 2019. If you’d like to get involved, call 07401 810921 or email info@walsworthfestival.co.uk.