LEAMINGTON Peace Festival celebrates its 40th birthday this weekend.
The free festival in the Pump Room Gardens on Saturday and Sunday (June 16 and 17) will feature more than 160 stalls, peace talks, workshops, vegetarian food, children’s entertainment, performances and music,
Festival director Thomas Mead said: “The first festival, at the time called the Leamington Festival for International Understanding and Peace, was held in 1978. Conceived as a non-political, non-profit making event, its roots stem from previous festivals held with growing interest and success in the area, each basing its theme on aspects of peace – Peace Pledge Union, Oxfam Festival and Leamington Spa Health Foundation.
“For the second year running there will be a donation point for the Warwick and Leamington Foodbank where people can give much-needed donations of long life fruit juice, pasta sauces, long life milk, tinned goods and toiletries.
“This will be located at the information caravan and we encourage as many people to come and donate as possible. We believe strongly in helping the community around us and want others to do the same”
“We are very excited to be here for the 40th year and cannot begin to thank all of our directors, committee members and weekend volunteers who have helped to run this fantastic event. We have always been completely volunteer run which we believe is a huge accomplishment of an event this size.”
The festival runs from 11am to 7pm on the Saturday, and 11am to 6pm on the Sunday.
Visit peacefestival.org.uk for further details.
