2024
Jesmond Community Festival
Jesmond Community Festival 2024
The 2024 Jesmond Community Festival comprised 80 events, exhibitions and competitions, slightly less than last year’s 91, and total attendances (around 12,250) were also slightly less than in the previous year (12,800). Once again, the programme lasted for 30 days, with at least one event taking place on 28 of those days. On the busiest day (Saturday 18 May) there were no less than nine events.
As last year, outdoor events seemed to be particularly popular, with most Guided Walks being full to capacity and the Teddy Bear Trail being another success, this year with a sporty theme. Jesmond Community Orchard hosted both its own Open Day and an Italian Picnic. “A Bit Crack” (stories and music for families, presented by Chris Bostock and friends) took place on the Green outside Holy Trinity Church. Nevertheless, the weather was not always kind, and three events were cancelled or postponed as a result of heavy rain.
The range of musical events is astonishing, with everything from full-scale orchestral and choral concerts to performances by West Jesmond School pupils in Jesmond Library and by Semitones (a small local instrumental group) in three local care homes, plus folk, ceilidhs, recorder and jazz events. For the first time St Hilda’s hosted the Tyneside Mandolin Orchestra and St George’s welcomed an Elvis impersonator. St George’s Church was also the venue for the Festival’s first Kids’ Organ Prom, a performance of Carnival of the Animals with big screen and animations.
Event organisers catered for a range of ages and interests, including children’s crafts, and “Wellbeing for Life”, for older people, both in Jesmond Library, a flexible venue which also hosted musical events, talks and an art exhibition. The Northumberland Club provided free taster sessions, and there were also opportunities to take part in croquet and cycling. Many events are free to participants, and others try to keep costs as low as possible.
Plastic Free Jesmond and Sandyford and the Glorious Gardens Group both organised their annual competitions to conclude during the festival period, while there was also an opportunity to take part in Jesmond Community Forum’s annual photographic competition.
Finance
The main expense incurred by Jesmond Community Forum itself is in the printing of festival programmes and posters, along with maintaining the festival website. While the Forum itself is able to contribute some funding from donations received during previous festivals, we are very grateful for the continuing support of the City Council’s North Jesmond, South Jesmond and Dene and South Gosforth Ward Committees, along with member organisations Jesmond Community Orchard, the Friends of Jesmond Library, Jesmond Residents Association, the St George’s Church PCC and West Jesmond Allotment Association. Other organisations and individuals collected donations during festival events.
But we know that this cash represents only the tip of an iceberg, compare with the amount of volunteer time and “support in kind” contributed by members of the many event organising organisations and venues taking part in the festival. Thank you to you all! We know that some of you, at least, benefit from giving your organisations and activities a higher profile amongst local residents, which will hopefully benefit you long after this year’s festival is over.
