Delights of all kinds at the Festival of Thrift

Firstly, an admission - I've been part of the magic that is the Festival of Thrift since the first one in 2013 so naturally I'm somewhat biased in its favour - but as we rapidly approach the 5th one (it's on Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th September at Kirkleatham Hall & Museum, Redcar TS10 5NW so get your skates on) I'm here to tell you something of what you might miss if you let another Festival slide by without a visit. 

      ".. a glorious hotch potch of English eccentricity and colour.."

Imagine a glorious hotch potch of English eccentricity and colour, an amazing mixture of artists and actors with stories and adventures to delight you, children's games, billowing flags and bunting, families building dens, playing with sticks and mud, improvised theatre, singing, sit down town meals, gorgeous bistro camper vans, foodie stalls and lots of hand made things together with interesting talks and ideas for living a thrifty and more sustainable life.  It's like the very best of alternative music festivals without the enormous price ticket and the many hours of travelling. It's free to get in with just a £5 charge to park per car, so a bunch of people travelling together make this a very thrifty option. See www.festivalofthrift.co.uk for more travel options if you fancy using the local trains to Redcar - an adventure in itself. You could hit the Festival for hours of fun and frolics then visit the beach for sandy feet, delicious chips followed by an ice cream.

Other delights to look out for at Thrift are the Oxglam Fashion Show which this year has costumes and fashionable looks using recycled garments and many hours of volunteers time and creativity based around the growth theme. There are also many, many workshops for fixing things, sticking things, stitching things, mending & repairing stuff, making, thrifting, inventing, swopping,  spinning, knitting, campfire cooking, willow weaving, jam making, spoon carving, dancing, dressing up, making crazy music, trying on mad hats and generally having a whale of a time. Stand and stare for a while, drink in the atmosphere and join in the fun, it's simply amazing.

I'll be there with some lovely Singer hand sewing machines for people to make things on at the Rejig sewing workshop, so if you are passing the Stables on your whirl around the rest of the Festival, pop in and say hello and stitch a square for our second community quilt. It's just a really wonderful weekend for everyone, whatever you get up to and I guarantee you won't regret your visit.

Who knows, it might even inspire you to try something completely new. . . . . 

www.festivalofthrift.co.uk/videos/

​