Shropshire Star

Festival finds a new base near Cleobury Mortimer

More than 1,000 visitors are expected to attend this year's Festival at the Edge which has found a base at Hopton Court in Hopton Wafers, near Cleobury Mortimer.

Published
Last updated
BBC Radio Shropshire presenter Genevieve Tudor

The festival has been going for 30 years but because of the Covid-19 pandemic it did not take place in 2020 and an online event took place.

Previously staged in Stokes' Barn in Much Wenlock the festival has now moved to its new setting in the walled garden at Hopton Court.

This year's event will take place from Friday July 21 to Sunday July 23 and will see a London based band Transglobal Underground on stage.

Genevieve Tudor, who presents the Folk Show on BBC Radio Shropshire, said: "There will be story-telling from all over the world, anecdotes, fairy stories and lacivious stories about kings .

"The event will see late-night story-telling for adults around a bonfire.

"There will be marquees, folk tales and foraging, dancing, music and craft stalls.

"Previously we have had as many as 15 to 20 stalls and there will also be Hobson's Beer and food.

"About 1,000 visitors attended the last festival and everyone loves a good story.

"During the past 30 years we have provided thousands of them, from the ghostly grotesque to the trickster tale, from the fairy story to the anecdote.

"So, we are celebrating with a big festival party.

"We set up our festival full of enthusiasm and energy

"It was to be a festival of stories, with a side order of music and dance, and it was to be for the whole family as stories are not just for children.

"It will be a world class festival in a beautiful place for amazing tales and we feel that we have found our spiritual home in the Walled Garden and this year we plan to celebrate our 30th birthday.

"We hope that people will want to join us for the weekend and this gentle, laid back event in a beautiful part of Shropshire.

"People will be able to hear stories from across the world, listen to music and songs, watch dancers and buy wonderfully crafted gifts."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.