Carnival launches month-long Ware Festival

The month-long 2023 Ware Festival, which begins on Saturday 1st July, will be a celebration of all things musical, with the theme this year being ‘Thank You for the Music’.

The Saturday launch day features some of the festival’s most iconic events, including a colourful boat parade along the River Lea at 12.15pm put on by members of Lea & Stort IWA, who will make Ware their home for the weekend.

A traditional carnival parade will snake its way through the town centre, leaving Broadmeads at 1.25pm, and the Town Fair will be held in the grounds of Ware Priory in High Street from 12noon, featuring stalls from local groups, food and drink. Arena entertainment will start at 2pm with performances from K9 Dog and Duck Display, Zoo Riot, Somewhere2Sing, Unswung Heroes, Make Believe Ware and Impress Theatre School. Entry is free though a £1 donation to the festival charities (Always Bee You and Local Social) is appreciated. uk), whilst Ware Brass will play a free concert at Ware Priory from 3-5pm too.

At 4pm in Christ Church, Broxbourne Community Choir will entertain with a medley of popular songs from across the decades. Tickets are £10 for adults and £3 children from Gabby on 07875 221543.

Sunday 2nd July sees Ware’s annual 10k races take place, including a free children’s race. These start at 9.30am from GSK cricket ground (full details at ware10s. co.uk). The annual duck race will be held at Ware Lock by SPACE Herts (details at spaceherts.org.

Details of the rest of the month’s festivities will appear in next month’s Axis, but a date for your diary is the festival’s traditional closing event, the ever-popular outdoor concert Rock in the Priory, which will be held on Sunday 30th July at Ware Priory. Full details can be found at waretowncouncil.gov.uk.

Ware Festival is organised by Ware Town Council.