Bigger and better Devizes street festival wows the crowds (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Bigger and better Devizes street festival wows the crowds

9:26am Tuesday 28th August 2012 in Devizes By Jill Crooks

The Devizes Carnival International Street Festival got bigger and better this year.

In addition to Monday, for the first time the free event was held on Sunday afternoon on The Green. In total there were 30 acts over the two days.

The Green was packed with people enjoying the entertainers who included George Orange, who wowed with his tricks on a slack rope, plus live music from the likes of blues combo Mike Hoddinott’s Blues Allstars.

The sun was out and there were numerous food stalls to choose from and a bar.

Among the other performers were Il Cataldo, an eccentric French chef, Lost in Translation Circus and the final act of the night was Square Peg Circus featuring group acrobatics, human towers, Chinese poles, skills, flips and tricks.

The weather over the two days was totally different - from wearing shorts and t-shirts on Sunday to donning waterproofs yesterday.

Yesterday’s weather was cool with some showers but there were still thousands of people milling about and watching the performers in the Market Place and surrounding streets.

On the music stage Jon Amor, of Great Cheverell, performed with his blues group while outside the Town Hall spectators were captivated by a silent movie type show called The Strongman by Bash Street Theatre.

A couple of parents minding their own business were recruited into a pushchair race by jugglers and unicyclists Goronwy Thom and Richard Garaghty, who had the crowd in hysterics with their interaction.

Children and adults tried a selection of wacky cycles including a three wheeled bike which skidded when the brakes were applied.

To mark this year being the 100th year of Devizes Carnival there was a special appearance by a traction engine, called the Buller engine, which was made at the Brown and May factory in Devizes and took part in the carnival procession of 1912.

Phil and Chris Matthews, of Wilton in Salisbury, are regulars at the festival.

Mr Matthews said: “We have been coming here for about five years and we have always been impressed with it. I feel Devizes deserves credit for putting on this type of event. A lot of work goes into it.”

Mrs Matthews said: “We like it that it was also on Sunday this year, the acts were brilliant. It’s a very high quality event and there’s something for everyone.”

Bunty Benham, of Farnborough, Hampshire, was visiting the festival for the first time.

She said: “There’s nothing like it where I live. It’s nice to see the community coming together to put this on and it’s free.”