Performers sought to entertain at new Elford Garden Party

Garden Party

Performers across all genres are being offered the opportunity to showcase their talents in beautiful surroundings at an end of summer garden party event being organised by Tamworth Borough Council’s Arts & Events team.

The Garden Party takes place in the historic and picturesque setting of Elford Hall Garden in the village of Elford on September 17, inviting families to enjoy a relaxed afternoon of entertainment while giving Tamworth artists the chance to perform in an unusual space.

The event also aims to provide groups with an alternative stage while Tamworth Assembly Rooms is closed for refurbishment.
Some popular Assembly Rooms’ regulars have already been lined up for the Garden Party including TACT, Tamworth Arts Club, Fired Up Theatre, Tamworth Voices, Tamworth Wind Band and Just Perform, but the invitation is being extended to all singers, dancers, musicians, bands, drama groups, school groups and comedians who would like the opportunity to perform in the countryside setting.

Entertainment will be split across a main outdoor stage within the attractive walled garden itself and an acoustic stage in the marquee next door.

Cllr Joy Goodall, Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Environment & Culture, said: “The Elford Hall Garden Party is an exciting new event being organised in a new location for Tamworth Borough Council’s Arts & Events team. It will give local groups and artists the chance to perform while improvements are carried out to the Assembly Rooms. It also provides the town’s entertainers with the opportunity to perform in a new and unique setting and we hope they will relish that opportunity.

“Elford Hall Garden is a wonderful project which is managed by a group of dedicated volunteers who have turned it into a beautiful setting with great facilities. The Arts & Events team will be working hard with the volunteers to create a summer afternoon to remember.

“We are grateful for the use of the garden and 50 per cent of the ticket sales will be donated to Elford village activities and will be administered by Elford Parish Council.”

“Some great entertainment has already been lined up, with more to be added, so I hope people take up the opportunity to see many different performers on the same bill.”

The Garden Party takes place between 12pm and 6pm and aims to create the atmosphere of a relaxed summer picnic and will include Pimms and lemonade, a hog roast, bar, cake and lawn games to complement the entertainment.

The Elford Garden Project is a multi award-winning community project which has restored the abandoned Edwardian walled garden and surrounding land and made it into a community park.    

Work began in 2009 and since then volunteers have transformed the walled garden into a free and accessible place for all visitors, offering a variety of bulbs and blooms to view all year round, as well as a sensory garden, a new boat house overlooking the river, an orchard, allotments, boules pitches, marquee and wedding facilities, picnic areas and disabled access. More information is available online at www.elfordhallgarden.org.

Tickets to the Garden Party, priced at £10 and £8 concessions, are already on sale at www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk, in person from Tamworth Tourist Information Centre in Corporation Street or from the Box Office on 01827 709618. A transaction fee of £1 is payable on all online and telephone bookings.

Any artists/acts who would like to perform on the day are asked to register their interest by contacting Tamworth Borough Council’s Arts and Events team on 01827 709314 or by emailing taroutdoorevents@tamworth.gov.uk before Friday June 17.