Towersey Festival, the UK’s longest running festival since 1965, has unveiled another wave of programming for its 60th, and last ever event. Taking place on the beautiful Claydon Estate in Buckinghamshire from Friday 23rd to Monday 26th August, organisers have added a fabulous range of street theatre, one-off special performances, and even more family entertainment for this momentous event.
This celebratory finale will be in full swing when festival goers step onto site and immerse themselves in an abundance of culture, traditional dance, and creative experiences, which now includes street theatre for all the family to enjoy. Unmissable performances come from all-round entertainer Jason Maverick, who’ll perform his One Man Circus show with a crazy amount of clowning, juggling and mime, for audiences to witness or take part in, if they dare. Guests can marvel at the highly skilled and captivating hula hooper, Angie Mack, and delight in the comedic storytelling of The Extraordinary Time Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen with yarns of duels, elephants and castles built of cheese.
Also look out for a variety of performances from Rhubarb Theatre, the mind-blowing talents of conjuror Walter The Waiter, nail-biting stories from author Mark Fraser, interactive workshops from Suitcase Circus, and the joyous, infectious, songs of Johnny and the Raindrops who guarantee to get the whole family dancing.
Also announced is a very special return of the Conservatoire Folk Ensemble. Look out for members, past and present, of this much-loved band as they perform lively and outrageous impromptu ‘pop ups’ around the festival site. A mainstay of Towersey for over 10 years, it was only fitting to have them back for one last hoorah and to celebrate their own legacy as one of the most powerful and dynamic bands of world class musicians ever to have graced the scene.
In other special one-off programming, Towersey will take things right back to where it all started on the lawn of its founders Sheila and Denis Manners (MBE) in 1965. 60 years on, on Sunday afternoon at Towersey 2024, this magical day will be recreated with a mass participation Ceilidh (think barn dancing meets line dancing meets Irish dance!) on the lawn at Claydon.
This final edition of the family-run Towersey will be forever etched in history as Towersey takes its final bow as the Granddaddy of all Festivals.
Over 10 stages and attracting 5,000 visitors, Towersey is an intimate gathering of like-minded people, each reconnecting through music and cultural experiences. Over 40 musical acts have already been announced to appear, including legendary folk-rock singer-songwriters Billy Bragg and Seth Lakeman, harmonious female folk outfit The Staves, Paul Simon’s iconic Graceland reimagined by the London African Gospel Choir, plus so many much-loved events and activities, including 48 hours of Ceilidh, festival choirs, dance classes, silent discos, Woodland Classroom, and more besides.
