Shropshire Star

Culture Fest for Oswestry

The inaugural Oswestry CultureFest will be held across the town centre on Saturday.

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Running alongside the Shropshire Produce Market, CultureFest activities will be focused on Bailey Head, Bailey Street, Cross Street and at the Cross and Festival Square.

Free music and dance performances from different cultures include Klezmer music by the Klezmonauts, Bhangra dance by Nachda Sansaar, the Oswestry Street Band, Café Lola, Bulgarian music and dance, Kurdish music and dance, Syrian beat box and other pop-up performances of music, poetry and readings throughout the day.

Other attractions include free ‘tasters’ of food from different cultures, and free henna tattoos on Bailey Head.

There will also be a host of information stalls run by local groups and organisations celebrating Oswestry’s vibrant and diverse communities.

The event is being organised by Fairness, Respect, Equality Shropshire (FRESh) Ltd, Shropshire Council’s Community Enablement team, Oswestry Town Council, the Hermon Chapel Centre, the Jools Payne Partnership, Oswestry Equality Group, Disability Oswestry and Oswestry Welcomes Refugees

FRESh Secretary Jonathan Hyams said: "Today, Oswestry is home to people of many different cultures, national origins, religions, first languages, different abilities, genders and sexual orientations, representing the wide variety of local characteristics and lifestyles."

Oswestry’s border town heritage and strong Welsh influence will be highlighted throughout the day performances of Welsh and English poetry and readings at Bailey Head. Celebrated local authors will be performing readings at Oswestry Library.

"Shropshire’s many fine food producers will carry the flag for Shropshire with a dozen stalls selling a wide variety of foodstuffs made in the county."

“The event marks the renowned warmth and friendliness of Oswestry and its indigenous community. It reflects the warm welcome Oswestrians and Oswestry settlers have extended to people of different cultures who now live in the community. It promises to be a very lively, vibrant festival and comes at a time when we all need to celebrate our shared humanity."