Sunday 27th May 2001

            FRENCH STYLE CAFÉ in the Town Hall Bar Room. Downham Market Twinning Club invites you to relax, as you enjoy the first day of the Festival, by joining them at a French style café. Coffee, wine, croissants, as well as ploughman’s lunches will be available. If the weather is favourable sit outside on the Market Place, under a sunshade pretending that you are in France, as you wait to be served. There will also be plenty of room in the Main Town Hall if the weather is cool.

            FESTIVAL ART EXHIBITION in the Assembly Room, Downham Market Town Hall. The first day of this exhibition of over one hundred paintings by members of Downham Art Circle, nearly all of which will be for sale. Admission is free.

            DOWNHAM ARTS and DEALING WITH IT FILMS DISPLAY in the Main Hall of the Town Hall. Come along and see what these two organisations do and meet the faces behind them. Downham Arts, promoting the arts in Downham Market, will have a display of pictures and information from its affiliated organisations as well as videos of the most recent children’s Half-Term Workshops. Meanwhile Dealing With It Films, which promotes film-making in the town, will have a display and two screens showing a selection of their productions.

            The Collectors World at HERMITAGE HALL is open throughout the week and again this year there is a special offer of 50p discount on the admission price for all who carry a copy of the Festival Programme when they visit. (One discount per programme).

            FESTIVAL FLAG RAISING CEREMONY on the Market Place. Join the new Town Mayor, Councillor Mike Coles, at one of his first public functions in his year of office, along with other Town dignitaries, at the official opening of the 27th Downham Market Festival. The Festival proclamation will be read by the Town Crier, Ray Wales, and the Festival Flag will be raised to fly for the eight days of Festival, over the Market Place and Town Hall.

            COCK TAVERN BEERFEST. This popular beerfest will run for an extra day this year. The Really Wicked Beerfest 2001 will open between midday and 10.30pm on Friday 25th May in the marquee in the beergarden at the rear of the Cock Tavern in Lynn Road and will run daily until Monday 28th May. A range of exciting real ales from further afield will be available for the ale lovers attending. The Fenland Brewery of Chatteris will be brewing a session of commemorative ale for the event called “Pheasant Plucker”, a mid coloured, hoppy brew of session strength. BBQ, burgers etc will also be available. Free admission, refundable deposit on glasses. Wine, spirits, soft drinks and lager will also be available.

            FESTIVAL SERVICE at DOWNHAM MARKET CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. Rev Alan Molineaux, members and friends of Downham Market Christian Fellowship welcome you all to their service to welcome Festival 2001 at their Church in High Street. Please note that the service begins at 6pm to allow time for a cup of coffee and a chat afterwards before attending other evening events.

            “WEST END MAGIC” with Three’s Company. This evening’s entertainment is presented and sponsored by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council. Three's Company have been touring for just over five years and could be described as a cabaret act in the classic sense of the word. They have gained considerable acclaim through their outreach work with the National Rural Touring Forum which aims to bring professional entertainment to the more isolated areas of the community. Their fame has spread to such an extent that they are currently in the middle of an 130 date tour the length and breadth of the UK taking in many regional Theatres and Arts Centres.

            They hope that audiences find three voices and a piano a refreshing change to the more mainstream synthesised sound of modern orchestrations. All of their arrangements are original and the backgrounds to the songs are thoroughly researched so that everybody leaves having both enjoyed the music as well as the stories from behind the scenes.

“West End Magic” charts an enjoyable and informed course through some of the most popular musicals our capital has to offer with selections from “Les Miserables”, “Phantom of the Opera”, “West Side Story” and “Cats” to name but a few. Three ‘high octane’ performers capture the magic of the West End in their own unique way so hold on tight and enjoy the ride! If this is the first time you've experienced Three's Company then you are in for a real treat.

            Tickets, priced £5 (concessions £4.50) are available from Downham Information Centre, at The Priory Centre, or at the door. Refreshments will be available during the interval.