A HOST of events are set to take place throughout a Herefordshire town as a festival makes its big comeback this weekend.

Leominster festival, which was unable to take place last year due to the pandemic, kicked off last Friday with an organ recital at the Priory church.

Festival development officer Joanna Macleod said: “It’s really exciting we’ve got live music back. There were about 150 people there and it seemed to go seamlessly.

“The festival is a bit different this year. It’s taken a lot more organisation, but we are feeling very good about it.”

This weekend’s activities will kick off with the Grapes’ Big Street Quiz on Friday, July 2, with socially distanced tables running down Broad Street for teams to take part in.

OnJuly 3, the Grange will host the festival’s first ever ‘Big Green Family Fun Day’, which will celebrate all that is green and sustainable in the town. There will be live music, food stalls and fairground rides throughout the day, and even a dog show.

Joanna emphasised the festival committee’s desire to launch a ‘green’ fun day.

“The committee are passionate about sustainability and 5 years down the line we hope to have a green festival. People can enjoy live music on the Grange throughout the day and more stalls than ever before.”

On July 4, Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing two shows at the Priory, as they’ve done every year since the festival started. The concerts will be performed by two groups, split into strings and brass.

Other events throughout the weekend include an Insect Safari puppet show, a poetry slam and a Swan Brewery tasting day.

The festival is delivering the events with strict observance to Covid-19 guidelines. All events have been set up to follow social distancing rules, with hand sanitising stations and Track and Trace available. Audiences are also encouraged to bring their own camping seats and picnic blankets to outdoor events.

Joanna said: “It’s important to us that we put on something that’s safe. We’re confident we’ve got everything in place to ensure that it works.”

The festival will close at the Priory on July 9 with a performance of Peter and the Wolf by Peter Dyke, Hereford Cathedral’s organist, with narration from Leominster town crier, Richard Brookman.

For more information and event schedule, visit www.leominsterfestival.org