Bury St Edmunds Festival gets off to a flying start

Energy and passion kickstarted this year’s Bury St Edmunds Festival with the Edwin Sanza Salsa Orchestra bringing the Latin party to The Apex on Friday night.

Saturday saw families entertained by acrobats, jugglers and comedians as part of a free street theatre programme in the Abbey Gardens while a packed bill of music, art, theatre, film and more music has kept the town in a flurry of activity throughout the week.

Festival manager Nick Wells said everything had gone ‘really well’ so far with some ‘really big’ audiences and great feedback from the musicians who are ‘really loving being here’.

But, for him, there has been one stand out show.

He said: “I’m still quite staggered by the Takacs Quartet on Sunday night – I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a better concert whether folk, jazz, classical. It was just fantastic. I’ve had people stopping me in the streets, actually, it’s been amazing.”

This weekend Bury is set to welcome another wide range of performers, from the seven-piece Dixie Strollers jazz band playing tonight in The Apex to tomorrow’s show at the Theatre Royal by award-winning Ballet Cymru and classical Indian sitar and tabla music in St John’s Church on Sunday.

‘The living legend of the flute’, Sir James Galway, will bring the 10-day festival to a close on Sunday night in a show that Mr Wells, among others, is ‘really looking forward’.

He said: “He’s a big draw, another internally renowned musician who has a huge fan base and is much loved. So, I think the closing night’s going to be a really lovely night.”

For more details or to buy tickets visit www.buryfestival.co.uk or call 01284 758000.