BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?

Subject: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: JudeL
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:36 AM

Any other catters going to Grove this weekend for the White Horse Festival
Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:56 AM

Is this the White Horse in England? If so, what are the details?

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: Peg
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:10 AM

sounds cool! The Vale of the White Horse is just about my favorite spot in England (of those I have been to, of course).

or is this festival named after ANOTHER white horse? or a pub with that name?

peg

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: Julia
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:20 AM

My family name is Lyford and I believe there is a town near Grove of that name. I plane to be there to check it out next week- can anyone tell me anything about the village?

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:40 AM

Grove is near Wantage, yes? Any more details, Jude?

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:44 AM

...but beware:
There was a young lady of Wantage
Of whom the Town Clerk took advantage
The Borough Surveyor said
"I'm afraid you must pay her
You've totally altered her frontage."
RtS (Sorry!)

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: JudeL
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:52 AM

The White Horse festival is held 17-19 August in the village of Grove near Wantage, Oxfordshire. The organisers Dave and Kate Guest used to run Stamford in the Vale Festival, until they moved. They can be contacted on 01235765445. The festival is very small and friendly. It uses two pubs, a village hall and the rugby club as venues. The rugby club field is available for camping and use of the club's showers etc is included in the ticket price which is kept very low as they aim only to cover costs rather than trying make a profit. One of the pubs usually has a beer festival on and is mainly the musicians session, the other is the singers pub. There are concerts (which are usually very good). It doesn't (or didn't) have morris displays, mostly I believe because Dave is trying to keep it small enough that he can have time enough away from organising things to enjoy it himself.
There's usually themed song sessions and on the Sunday a charity auction when "the Dangerous Malcolm Brothers" sell some very strange items which have been donated! It's all very relaxed and lots of fun.

Sorry. Having just read back through this I realise that I am starting to sound like a sales ad so I'll leave it at that Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: JudeL
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 11:00 AM

You can leave my frontage out of this !! Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 11:32 AM

We're intending to go on Friday & Sunday. Will probably be in the singing pub.
Do you know whether we have to book in advance or just pay when we get there?

Kris

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: JudeL
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 01:45 PM

It's helpful to Dave if he has an idea of the number of people going - but he hasn't previously objected to people paying when they get there.
Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: Gareth
Date: 17 Aug 01 - 02:57 PM

Youve convinced me - subject to the car statring i might venture a vist - helped by fact sister lives in Grove.

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: GUEST,Gareth, borrowing sisters number cruncher
Date: 18 Aug 01 - 08:46 AM

Made it - now the serious bit starts

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 20 Aug 01 - 06:26 AM

Was anyone there? We only made it on the Friday night in the end. Amoret wore our communal m'cat T-shirt - which the organiser-geezer recognised, but he said he hasn't yet fully got into M'catting.
We were in the scout hut singaround bit, which was in the able hands of Geoff Higginbottom - now there's a BIG voice....
It was one of those lovely chorusy events, so we had a great time & heard some new songs that I now want to track down & learn. Unfortunately I sabotaged Amoret by forgetting the capo & making her sing REALLY REALLY low. Oops. She forgave me though... Lovely bunch of people, really welcoming and friendly & there was a great atmosphere. We left about 1am when Amoret reminded me it was past her bedtime...
Would have gone back on Sunday, but got too over-slaked at a canoeing event on Saturday.
Anyone have a review of the rest of the weekend, so we can find out what we missed??

Kris

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: JudeL
Date: 20 Aug 01 - 07:12 AM

Yes, I was there.
The highlights, for me:
Artisan as usual were brilliant, doing a meet the group & harmony workshop in the scouthut on Saturday morning and a concert Sat evening. I missed the afternoon session in the Bell, on Sat, as my youngest son Michael was returning from a week at camp and had to be picked up from Hemel Hempstead - but I'm told it was up to it's usual high std. Amongst other wonderful songs in the wee small hours of Sat night Moira (Craig) sang "Mr. Harding's Garden" (definitely a 3 hanky job). In the Sunday afternoon session to finish off the weekend even the landlord sung a song, and Dave (Guest) sang that one that gives lots of historical details and ends with "It's a long way to Tipperary". And although it tipped down with rain Saturday & even Sunday morning, at least it stopped Sunday afternoon long enough for the tents to dry and get packed away ready for the next one. Towersey here I come! Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Going to Grove(White Horse) ?
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 20 Aug 01 - 08:38 AM

Oh b*gger! I would have loved to hear Moira sing Mr H's Garden. I love her voice & I love the song & the two together must have been excellent.
See you at Towersey....

Kris