The River Path The River Path
Parrett River Festival
In 2003 the Parrett Catchment Project, after discussions with Common Ground, put on a festival beside the River Parrett at Langport. On a windy but sunny day on May 11, a couple of dozen elegant flags on long poles perched along the bank streamed out sideways. People gathered around the poet James Crowden who opened the festival, examined the Parrett Flatner (above, right), took boat rides, looked at the sluice gate machinery, visited all the displays of relevant organisations in their marquees and bought food at the farmers market. About 2-and-a-half thousand people came.
In May of 2004 there was another event, this time at French Weir Park, Taunton. Organiser Caroline Dunn said "The festival's main theme is water and land use within the Parrett catchment (incorporating the Parrett, Tone, Yeo, Cary and Isle). Every activity will link to the theme in some way. The festival will strike a balance between education and entertainment with activities to really get people thinking about the flooding issues and water management in Somerset" More than 60 contributors will make up the programme of events and "there will be opportunities to watch and learn river based skills and join in practical art workshops with a watery theme." This time round about five thousand visitors came to learn and be entertained.
The third River Festival took place at Bridgewater Docks in May 2005. Despite torrential rain, it was well attended, with canal and boating activities centred around the docks, with marquees and other activities in an adjoining field.
May 21st 2006 must have been one of the windiest and wettest days on record! The main attraction was to be a series of boat parades and activities on the River Parrett, but I missed these due to the torrential rain. Luckily there were a series of riverside marquees hosting exhibitions and displays to grab our attention. Langport was a once-thriving trading port situated at the heart of the Somerset Levels, an area of low lying land where flooding is not uncommon, and likely to increase if the weather becomes more volatile.
In the shelter of the Ridgway Hall, James Crowden gave his poems from ‘In Time of Flood’ a new interpretation with readings, video images of the Parrett catchment and haunting clarinet accompaniment by Karen Wimhurst.
In the Yeo Yurt by the river, Nick Crump, as Professor H20, showered the kids with watery wisdom mixed with bubbles of musical plumbing.
The inclement weather further endorsed the importance of the work of the Parrett Catchment Project, a partnership of 27 organisations. The sky brightened in the afternoon and the hawthorn blossom in the fields opposite glowed.
www.parrettcatchment.info
