Midsummer Watch Parade, Mystery Plays and Vaudeville come to MBNA Chestival

Jun 16 2011 Chester Chronicle

Midsummer Watch Parade, Mystery Plays and Vaudeville come to MBNA Chestival

Chester’s streets and venues will come alive with colour and entertainment this weekend as the Midsummer Watch parade, Chester Mystery Plays in Miniature and Vaudeville Weekend all take place over three days.

Last year’s event saw record numbers of people on the streets enjoying not only the weather but also the colourful spectacle.

This year MBNA Chestival organisers are hoping to beat the records.

Tracy Lynn, director of Chester Festivals, said: “Last year we doubled the usual footfall for a summer weekend in Chester on this particular weekend and we want to do the same again this year.

“We have worked with the same formula of Midsummer Watch Parade and Chester Mystery Plays but added a third ingredient – Vaudeville weekend, which will carry the entertainment all the way through to early evening.”

Proceedings start with the Chester Mystery Plays, in association with Theatre in the Quarter, providing its second play in miniature – and this time it’s back to the beginning with The Creation.

Chester Amphitheatre is the venue and it is free to view.

The first performance will be held tomorrow (Friday) at 6pm.

Each ‘creation’ day is being performed by different community groups, including Dee Point Primary School, Bishops’ Blue Coat Church of England High School, Frodsham Church of England Primary School, Home Grown Dance Company, Karamba Samba and The Hammond – totalling a cast of 175.

The performances will be held on: Friday – 6pm; Saturday – 4pm; Sunday – 1pm and 4pm.

The Midsummer Watch parade, Chester’s annual staple, will also take place at the weekend.

Chester artist Russell Kirk has been working with schools across the region building characters for the parade.

Belgrave Primary School pupils will be a shoal of fish, Rhyn Park High School will be green men, Malpas Alport has been making unicorns and stags, Farndon Primary will be a flock of geese, Hoole Primary is making ravens, Cherry Grove children will be dragons and Newton Primary has created fiery monsters.

Russell has built a new structure this year – Envy, Plenty, Fame & Mercury – and there is a new parade route this year; bursting from Abbey Gateway at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday, the parade will pass Chester Town Hall, St Werburgh Street, Eastgate Street, Bridge Street, Pepper Street, St John Street, parading under the Eastgate Clock for the first time before returning to the town hall for a finale via Northgate Street.

At the same time Chester will also be holding its own exclusive Vaudeville Weekend with some of the best international acts – a first for the North West. There are more details on page 43.

For more information on MBNA Chestival, visit www.chesterfestivals.co.uk.