Since 2015, and with the obvious exception of 2020, either late September or early October has seen Stannington Library volunteers deliver an event to mark the anniversary of volunteers assuming management responsibility for the library.
From the humblest of beginnings in 2015, the festival had built to a multi-day event in 2019, when the highlight was without doubt the spectacular music and fire-dance performance by Mister Fox. Those who saw it have still not forgotten it
After an enforced gap in 2020, the festival returned last year and celebrated Stonehenge, the Storrs Henge installation in the Stoneface Woodland Gallery and various cardboard-box structures on the theme Stannhenge.
“It was great to be back last year, even in such a small way,” said volunteer Bob Mynors. “This year though we are able to up our game a little thanks to the financial support we are receiving every time one of our supporters buys from the Coop and scans a Coop membership card. And there is still time for people to choose STAND, the library management charity, to be the organisation that benefits from those purchases."
2022’s event is receiving funding from the Coop’s Local Community Fund, and its theme is ‘trees’ with stories selected specifically to reflect that theme. Performers at the event will include the ever-popular Carmel Page who is not yet revealing the stories she will perform, whilst Hallam89 Theatre Club, also experienced story festival hands, will bring their interpretation of the Roald Dahl classic Fantastic Mr Fox to the show
Other attractions on the day include The Sawheads, a folk trio featuring not one but two musical saws and, all the way from Wantley Wood, the mighty dragon Hal of Hallamshire, How appropriate these last two acts will be in a festival themed round trees remains to be seen, but organisers have every confidence.
The whole event starts at 1.00 pm on Saturday 1st October, and runs till 5.00 pm.