A ROYAL theme at this year’s Sodbury Festival helped bring in bumper crowds and rallied community spirit.

More than 55 events were staged as part of the 10-day festival, which culminated at the weekend with a majestic carnival procession, Last Night of the Proms concert and a special Songs of Praise service.

Schoolchildren took part in art and science workshops while residents enjoyed town hall talks, shops took part in a window dressing competition and invited shoppers to spot the error in a trail of the town.

Many of the events were sell-outs including a lively talk on life after parliament from former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, tribute band Abba Forever, festival chairman Jim Elsworth’s slide show Ever Changing Sodbury, a talk from historian Lars Tharp and a combined schools concert billed as a Royal Razzamatazz. An open day at Hanson Quarry was enjoyed by more than 400 people, a ticketed event record for the festival which is now in its 31st year.

Mr Elsworth, who has been helping to organise the festival since its inception but was chair for the first time this year, said it had ‘probably been the most successful year ever’.

He told the Gazette: “Normally when the Euros are on at the same time our takings go down a bit but this year they have gone up.

“We have lots of new and enthusiastic committee members and I don’t know why but generally it just really picked up and the town buzzed.

“We dropped the opera and included jazz for the first time in a number of years and the theme this year was King and Queens, which was picked up in so many ways.

“All major events were sold out and the quarry open day had a higher attendance than any event in the 31-year life of the festival.

“The support from the town’s traders and groups has been amazing with donations or gifts in kind. This generosity enabled the festival committee to run many community events.”

Hundreds of people lined the High Street on Saturday for the colourful carnival and street fair, which included a dramatic flypast from a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight hurricane and spitfire.

Raysfield Infants School won the carnival contest with their Queen Bee tractor float. St John’s Mead’s Alice in Wonderland entry came second and Chipping Sodbury Rugby Club’s knights themed float took best children’s entry.

Added Mr Elsworth: “I have been backed by a fantastic group on the committee who have worked well to pull off what has to be the most successful festival ever.

“In the past few days it has been most gratifying to have so people stop me in the street to say how much they have enjoyed the events staged this year.

One lady, who is new to the area and who attended most of the ticketed events, said that her £50 spent on tickets was the best value she has ever had. We always aim to make ticket prices affordable and that is one of the most rewarding compliments that we have ever had.”

The committee has already started planning next year’s festival which will run from Friday, June 9 to Sunday, June 18 2017. Anyone with any ideas for the future, or who wants to help run Festival 2017, is invited to the annual meeting in the Church Centre, Wickwar Rd on Monday, September 19 (7.45pm).