A packed programme of free events will be laid on in March next month (April) for this year’s St George’s Festival.

A giant dragon puppet with unique scales created by the people of March with artists will take centre stage at the festival and take inspiration from the dragon in the St George and the Dragon legend.

Cllr Jan French, deputy leader of Fenland District Council, and Chair of the March Events Committee, said: “This is such an exciting and packed programme that will appeal to a wide audience.

"We’d love as many people as possible to get involved and really embrace this opportunity to come together as a community.

“We’d like to thank all the partners we’ve worked with to develop this programme and make it so inspiring.”

The festival will culminate on Sunday, April 23, with a 10am to 4pm event in and around March Library, in City Road.

The day will kick off with a ‘dragon march’ where the dragon created from scales made at community events with artists Cary and Ricki Outis - commissioned by MarketPlace Creative People & Places - will parade from the bandstand in West End Park, through the park and back to the Library Mound.

The day will include:

an open-air arts and crafts market

speciality food stalls and live entertainment

storytelling by Dave Tonge, the Yarnsmith of Norwich, at the library

live chalk window drawing at the library with Cary Outis

children’s art activities

improvised poetry with Charley Genever

professional youth theatre and school performances on the main stage

live music including Newmarket Samba and March Brass Band at the Bandstand

Music creation, virtual reality and 2D animation in March Library

circus skills, falconry display, mini golf and a static scooter club display in West End Park.

Children from Fenland primary schools are making dragon puppets at school with the aid of a specially designed art kit by Ricki Outis and will join the march with their creations. 

The puppets will then be displayed, creating a giant art installation at the Library Mound for all to see.

Neale Wade Academy art club students are also producing artwork for the festival.

Town centre businesses will be invited to have their shop windows decorated by artist Cary Outis.

 

In the run up to the day, there will be a range of free family-friendly fun community events at March Community Centre. They must be booked in advance and are open to anyone accompanied by a participating adult aged 19 or over (maximum two children per adult) and take place on:

 

Monday, April 3:

Dragon themed robotics – two-hour long sessions – an opportunity to learn the principles of coding a robot to get it to move around a track and 10am and 3pm. Booking required.

Grow your own nature reserve – multiple hour-long sessions – create a hanging planter using recycled materials and plant it with seeds at 10am, 11.15am, 2pm and 3.15pm.

St George and the Friendly Dragon mask making – hour-and-a-quarter sessions – make a dragon mask with guidance and learn more about Chinese dragons at 2pm and 3.30pm.

Saturday, April 15:

Coat of arms making –hour-and-a-half sessions - using a dry point print press to etch on an acetate plate and create a concertina dragon. Younger children will be able to choose from a selection of preprepared printing plates to make their own crest template at 9.30am, 11.15am and 2pm.

Dragon Beatz musical instrument making – hour-long sessions – create a musical instrument then use it to make music at 10am, 11.15, 2pm and 3.15pm

Dragon scale screen painting with Ricki Outis - two-and-a-half-hour sessions – create a scale to contribute to the dragon at the centre of the St George’s Festival event and print your design onto a t-shirt to take home. 

Saturday, April 22: 

Dragon scale screen printing with Ricki Outis at 10am.

Fenland District Council has teamed up with March Events Committee, MarketPlace - Creative People & Places, March Library, The Library Presents, 20Twenty Productions and Cambridgeshire Skills to deliver the St George’s Festival.

This year’s St George’s event is slightly different to normal due to the ongoing transformation works in March town centre.

For dragon scale screen printing sessions, book via: www.eventbrite.co.uk\\e\\567944726967.

Any groups of up to 12 people wishing to create scales for the dragon may take part too – the sessions can even come to you! Please contact Peggy Mends at: peggy@cppmarketplace.co.uk for more information.

For more information on all other sessions go to: www.cambsals.co.uk and click on the ‘course search’ button or call: 01353 613013.