HONK! Heading into town tomorrow? Not quite your average Saturday shopping experience awaits anyone in Sunny Colch. But then Britain’s Oldest Recorded is a town that is changing, and all indicators point towards probably something for the better.
And so in-between buying your meat and two veg [MADAM] and the ACE Sunny Colch charity shop scrimmage – make sure that you put some time aside for a number of events taking place in the town tomorrow.
Here at The Chronic and we’re currently in high level negotiations to live stream online all the hyperlocal action such as someone crossing Crouch Street.
SEXY.
Our media partners prefer the working title of SUPER SUNNY COLCH SATURDAY – which is precisely what is taking place around the town tomorrow.
First off can we point you in the direction of a Colchester Borough Council consultation. Sounds like the type of invitation that weekends WEREN’T invented for?
Think again…
The open shop event at the old JJB store along the High Street isn’t so much a stuffy CBC box ticking consultation, but more of a two-way conversation with residents about how Sunny Colch is changing.
It is great that this open process is in place. We hope that our friends from CBC are not only listening, but also logging, documenting and making available all the data that comes out of these sessions.
It’s more or less an open book of Britain’s Oldest Recorded that CBC is asking residents to help write this weekend. Pointers include the Osborne Street bus station (that isn’t really a bus station…) the Cultural Quarter [YEAH, YEAH] Park and Ride, Vineyard and the digital strategy for the town.
No one is denying that funds are tight, but through co-operation and collaboration with residents, some positive solutions might be found for our friends from CBC. Failing that, then we at least hope that tea and biscuits will be available to blag.
The event is open for all from 10am – 4pm.
SUPER SUNNY COLCH SATURDAY then continues with a short walk down to Eld Lane and the lovely, lovely Slack Space. On show in the old Co-op bank building will be the Slack Shorts film festival.
Nope – it’s not an afternoon of flicks all about shorts that are somewhat lacking in knicker elastic, but an ACE way to celebrate the short film talent that is starting to take off around the town.
The first screening will start at midday, and then run through until 2pm. It also gives The Chronic the chance to fire up those cap locks and type in FREE.
Which is must the same for possibly the highlight of SUPER SUNNY COLCH SATURDAY – the Colchester Carnival.
As we have blogged before: SMILE.
Yep – it’s as simple as that.
The main Colchester Carnival will process [oh yes] down the High Street and towards Castle Park sometime between 4pm and 6pm. There is a wonderful schedule of community-based events taking place all day in Castle Park.
We personally can’t wait to see how the big bird Marina of Sparks Will Fly might turn out, but elsewhere and there is an events schedule that should engage, excite, and possibly be slightly erotic with the big bird Marina.
And then that should be job done, back to the boozer for your typical English town way of celebrating the weekend. Which of course is a fine aspiration to have, but SUPER SUNNY COLCH SATURDAY dictates that Colchester isn’t your typical English town.
Head over to @firstsite and you have two options. The fourth (blimey) Colchester Alleycat Bicycle Ride will be rolling out of the Golden Goose around 7:30pm. We’ve blogged before about the Alleycats that are being superbly organised by Chapeau Velo along Church Walk. Essentially they are a treasure hunt around the town via bicycle.
Chapeau!
All are welcome – it’s not a race but an exploration of where you live, via two wheels.
Booze will probably be involved once the cycling comes to a close.
But if the bicycles aren’t for you, then option two takes in an album launch for Speak Think, a hyperlocal recording showcasing some of the poetic talent that we have here in Sunny Colch.
Our friends from firstsite are kindly hosting the FREE event, from 6pm onwards. On offer and you will find:
“A local group of poets, spoken word and performance artists established by Steve Lawton (JustSomeGuy) and operating out of Slack Space. Our ethos is to bring spoken word to a non-poetry audience.
The album, Speak Think, contains original recordings by Fred Slattern, JustSomeGuy, Mark Brayley, Piers Harrison-Reid, Rev. Dr. Ian Prolix? and Tess Gardener. The album was produced by Daniel Merrill (Dead Rat Orchestra). The cover was designed by fine art graduate Tess Gardener.
At firstsite the featured artists will give live performances, including cuts from the album. There will also be an open-mic opportunity for any other performers.”
And that, friends, is SUPER SUNNY COLCH SATURDAY.
Consultations, film festival, Carnival, alleycats rides and album launches.
That Colchester City of Culture bid should no longer reduce *some* folk to sniggers.
