Line-up for this year's Chipping Sodbury Festival revealed (From Gazette Series)

Radio's Chris Serle and Tim Brooke-Taylor top the bill at this year's Chipping Sodbury Festival

4:00pm Friday 22nd February 2013 in News By Alexandra Womack

THE line-up for the 2013 Chipping Sodbury Festival has been confirmed, the Gazette can reveal.

A packed programme of concerts, workshops, talks and family fun events will take place during the 10-day festival from Friday, June 7 to Sunday, June 16.

The highlights this year include an audience with Tim Brooke-Taylor, from the Goodies and Radio 4’s I’m sorry I Haven’t a Clue, in conversation with writer and broadcaster Chris Serle, who starred in That’s Life.

An evening with Tom Hart-Dyke, the maker of several TV films and often called the new David Bellamy, is also expected to be a big hit with Chipping Sodbury audiences. Tom will share stories of his travels including one when during a plant hunting expedition to the jungles of Columbia he was kidnapped by guerrilla factions, held for nine months and given up for dead by the British Embassy. He will talk of his experiences and the Kent castle he lives in.

Also on the bill is a performance of the ever-popular opera Don Giovanni, performed by Tessitoura who are appearing for the third year in succession, and the well-attended music in the street night with Bath-based band Vegas who will sing hits from the 1960s, to coincide with this year’s Beatle Mania festival theme, as well as songs from more recent years.

Jim Elsworth will be presenting his Ever Changing Sodbury slide show, now in its 28th year and which continues to sell out ever year, and Gazette photographer Steve Richards and reporter Alexandra Womack will give a talk about local newspapers.

Festival committee chairman Brian Hardy said the programme of more than 50 events offered something for everyone.

“The committee have endeavoured to organise events that cover a wide range of tastes for the community to participate in and enjoy over the 10-day period of the festival,” he said.

“There are some 50 events spread over the period ranging from educational workshops for local school children to music and comedy events, interesting talks from both the world of TV and radio and from local traders as well as flower, jewellery and card making workshops.”

He said the committee had aimed to keep ticket prices as low as possible and free for many events, thanks to donations and sponsorship from local firms.

The festival will commence with a quiz on June 7 and will culminate in carnival day on June 15. Programmes with dates and times of each event will be printed soon and tickets will be available from April 1 from Farrago and Out of the Blue.