Dawn breaks on literature festival

10:55am Tuesday 6th May 2008

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A LONE piper shrugged off the pouring rain to get this year's Swindon Festival of Literature up and running.

More than 300 people braved the elements at 5.30am for the Dawn Chorus at Lawn Woods yesterday, the traditional curtain raiser for the two-week festival.

But with Swindon's Scratch Choir and the Sun Arise Singers supplementing the entertainment a drop of rain couldn't dampen people's spirits.

The Man from Story Mountain told tales from around the world, Miss Havisham from Great Expectations made an appearance and even the Faerie-May was present granting people's wishes.

The day also featured maypole dancing and performances by Jake the Juggler.

Festival organiser Matt Holland said: "This has been the wettest weather we've had during an opening but it has also had the highest turnout ever.

"It has rained two years in a row, but I am hopeful for next year. We have had sunshine as well but at the moment the rain's winning.

"I'm really impressed at the amount of people we've got here, despite the horrid weather.

"It shows that people want to support the festival and are willing to come out for it no matter what the weather.

"There's a real feel good factor among everyone and it's a really great community event. I'm constantly amazed that people love the festival, not just for the celebrity authors but for general events as well.

"We're close to selling out on a lot of events at the festival and turnout this year seems to be 30 per cent higher compared to last year. We just seem to go from strength to strength and I hope this continues.

"We've also launched Commonhead which is meant to be an annual book with contributions from 23 authors, 18 of whom are from in and around Swindon.

"The idea is to bring a new book out every year. It only costs £4.99 and is available at all good bookshops. It's great reading at an affordable price."

Linda Lee, 57, founder and leader of the scratch choir, said: "It's wonderful so many people have turned up in spite of the weather. It's a really special event. It celebrates the beginning of spring and it's just such a beautiful time as well."

Heather Smith, 45, from Old Town said: "I've been coming for the opening for the last four years. It's great fun and the kids absolutely love it."

Alexandra Martin, 32, from Gorse Hill, said the early start made the Dawn Chorus special.

She said: "I've been coming to this for the last three years. It's great. No other event starts at 5am in the morning and that sets it apart.

"It's just so exciting and there's a real sense of community here as well. Everyone's saying how Swindon has no cultural life but something like this just goes to prove how wrong people are."

Shoppers in the town centre who couldn't make the early start at Lawn Woods did not miss out on the entertainment. The Big Screen in Wharf Green showed storytelling, poetry and Dawn Chorus frolics from midday.