What’s on at the 2016 Cricklade Festival….
This year’s Festival is going to be a real treat. We’ve got something for everybody, there will be something for all the family. We’ve got music, dance, comedy and family entertainment like Cricklade has never seen before. As usual it won’t cost you a penny so please come on down and enjoy yourself for the day.
Here are some of the great acts that you can expect to see this year…
Lisa Lottie
Crazily agile, beautifully charming and unbelievably flexible! Watch Lisa Lottie ‘bend it like Barbie’ with SUPER stunts of flexibility and some of the most impressive hula hoop tricks you have ever seen!
A world-class, highly skilled artist, Lisa was born in Amsterdam, began her career in a traditional circus in India, trained in Brazil and holds a degree in Circus from the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama in London. Who knew you could get a degree in Circus?!?
This show includes audience participation, comedy, contortion and Lisa’s very best hula hoop skills.
Mat Ricardo
The ‘Gentleman Juggler’ Mat is a leading speciality act of the British cabaret revival and the UK’s most successful juggler. A multi-award winning entertainer at the top of his game, he displays incredible skills alongside comedy to produce a breathtaking spectacle.
Mat was one of the original Covent Garden street entertainers and performs his unique, hilarious and jaw-dropping act at festivals worldwide including New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Japan and many, many more.
His clothes and quips are as sharp as his immaculately coordinated skills so be prepared to gasp in shock and wonder as he thrills you with his combination of genuine danger, dexterous elegance and unique talent.
The Black Eagles
The perfect party entertainment…..we are thrilled to present to you The Black Eagles show, featuring acrobatics, fire, lion & limbo dancing. This is a high impact and joyful show that we know you are going to love!
The Black Eagles are a troupe of totally stunning acrobats who learnt their skills on the streets of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania and toured extensively throughout Africa before settling in the UK. They combine stunning acrobatic skills with energetic dance, all set to uplifting African rhythms.
This show will leave you totally spellbound and speechless.
Bruce Airhead
Ladies and gentlemen, returning to Cricklade, to amaze and enthrall you, Mr Bruce Airhead….and his six foot balloon. Bruce’s high energy, family street entertainment has been performed on three continents, laughed at by the Crown Heads of Europe, and he’s been mud-splattered in the fields of Glastonbury and loved by all.
If you missed him in 2013, form an orderly queue as you won’t quite believe your eyes. Straight from the London Palladium and other top venues across the world, Bruce has an act that is simply unique.
Will you be the lucky member of the audience who will get to help Bruce slide his toned Australian physique into the balloon? But what happens next? What can possibly happen to a tall Australian trapped inside a balloon???
One brave man, one enormous balloon, another amazing artist returns to the Cricklade Festival.
Le Navet Bête
Le Navet Bête are an award winning internationally touring troupe of clowns based in Devon, whose energetic, spectacular and hilarious shows have wowed audiences globally.
Join Romano, Keith, Hans and David Blooper on a ridiculous, madcap romp, rammed full of acrobatics, improvisation, live music, audience interaction, circus influences, downright silliness and even a flaming unicycle.
Don’t be fooled - these guys really don’t like each other. How they ended up on stage together is one of life’s great mysteries. Nothing they have ever tried to achieve has come to fruition. They really are utter idiots.
Mr Fish
The amazing Mr Fish presents a circus, comedy, mime extravaganza. Not since the vaudevillians of yesteryear have so many skills been seen in one amazing show, and not even they could do it with a fish down their trousers!
For the finale of the show Mr Fish rides a 10ft unicycle with one leg whilst balancing a gold fish on his foot! He then launches it into the air so it lands in a gold fish bowl on his head, and yes his parents are proud.
No actual gold fish are in any way inconvenienced in this act. Thank Cod for that!
Chloe Marie
Chloe is Cricklade’s very own talented singer-songwriter – so we really had to make sure she was performing at this year’s Festival. Having recently graduated from the Swindon Academy of Music and Sound (with Distinction Merit!) she is shortly off to the University of Gloucester to further her musical development.
Chloe sings beautiful versions of some classic songs as well as performing her own material.
Fretless and Friends
What better way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon than to sit back and listen to some fantastic traditional jazz – and you won’t get better than Fretless & Friends.
They have been entertaining audiences since the early 1990s, performing at venues throughout the UK, including many festivals such as the brilliant Cricklade Festival (on numerous occasions)!
Ray Butt, the leader of the band, is one of the area’s most renowned jazz musicians and has been performing with dance, show and jazz bands for many years.
Cricklade Band
Each year our very own brass band starts the festival with a medley of tunes that sets the tone for the day. This is one of Cricklade’s oldest and busiest organisations, formed in 1887 with 30+ musicians delivering a highly professional and hugely successful sound.
The band plays for ceremonial events, festivals, religious services, air shows and processions, not to mention their own dance parties throughout the year. We are proud to have them open the festival each year – it wouldn’t be the same without them.
Ukey D’Ukes
The Ukey D’Ukes are something a little bit different! They are a fun, entertaining, rockin’ 9-piece ukulele band, playing a wide range of music from the 1950’s & 60’s to the present day, as well as playing their own songs. They have great vocals and use acoustic and electric ukuleles and an electric ukulele bass, to give a great, solid sound.
We are thrilled to have these guys back at the festival again this year so make sure that you catch them when they play in the Music Marquee on the Festival Field. They’re sure to play some fun-filled, good-time, sing-along tunes.
Birds 4 All Occasions
Come and see a fascinating display of majestic birds of prey!
This is a chance to get up close & personal with these incredible creatures. We can’t say exactly which birds will be on display, but you can expect to see falcons, owls, hawks, buzzards and who knows, maybe even an eagle?
Why not come to the Festival Field and learn about these monarchs of the sky. You can also handle the birds and have your photograph taken for a small fee.
Birds 4 All Occasions are a small family business based in Oxfordshire and all of their birds have been brought up from young and are part of the family.
Junkfish
Junkfish will be providing lots of creative and active fun once again with a fabulous range of outdoor activities and crafts for all ages. Come along and design your own mask, make a sword and shield to play with, or create your own spoon puppet or colourful bookmark. Outside you can play with our wonderful Junk Ball Run or have a go with our giant hula hoops, games and circus toys.
There is also a family “chill out” area, with rugs, cushions, bean bags, etc. so all the family can take a break from the hustle & bustle of the festival.
Moon Carrot
Back again by popular demand! We are so pleased that the Moon Carrot puppet show will be performing on the Festival Field.
This year join us for “Captain Codswallop’s Treasure Hunt. When Captain Codswallop is looking for Redbeard’s Treasure Chest he gets more than he bargained for as he follows the clues to the cave where it is hidden – what will happen to Tom the Cabin Boy and Jade the Mermaid?
Puppet adventure on the high seas with a fishy end. Lots of fun for anyone who loves pirates and tales of treasure, and what’s more the show is absolutely free!