Festivalgoers Take a Shine to World Culture

By PAT NURSE

World music rang across the valleys of the rolling Louth Wolds to an enthusiastic audience of festival goers.

The fifth The Small World Festival attracted hundreds of people and provided affordable, cultural fun for three generations of families.

Grandparents, parents and children danced, footstomped and clapped in time to Bangra, African Beats, Reggae, Baltic, Celtic and Blues music.

The energetic and harmonious Eastern European sound of Minnie Moosika drove the crowd wild and by the end of their set there was hardly anyone not on their feet.

Headline band Achanak brought a special mix of eastern and western delight to an audience that lapped up every beat of their Punjabi sound.

And the brilliant Jon Gomm, who has the unique gift of making his guitar sound like a three-man band, was on top form.

The Leeds-based performer is a regular on the Lincolnshire music scene with a wide following and a collection of new fans after his stunning set.

Compere Andrea Ferguson kept the pace tight and introduced the crowd to the popular bands Tarantism, Lava, Graham Freestone and Strangeworld as well as a host of others with their own unique, cultural sound.

Children and adults took full advantage of the various workshops on offer including bellydancing, samba drumming with Claudio Kron do Brazil (correct), African drumming with jane from Beat Rootz, woodcraft for youngesters with social enterprise group Greenheart, and creative play for children.

The skills learned were merged and displyed during a grand finale procession of music, art and expression.

A disco raffle was held to raise funds for site owner The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Visitors were conscious of thr special nature of the environment around them which they treated with respect.

Forget Glastonbury, V, or Global Gathering, the true spirit of festival came alive at Small World where peole acted as one, harmonious community which was reminiscent of a very large medieval setting.

Festival organiser, Susi Mulligan of the Wolds Collctive said : “This has been the most fantastic festival we’ve ever had here. The quality and talent of the bands was amazing and we even had sunshine.

“We are already looking forward to the next one.”

(c) 2008 Grimsby Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.