Review: Castle Grounds Family Fun Day 2011
Written by Linda Tilley Thursday, 09 February 2012
Now in its fourth year, the Castle Grounds event was once again a great success. Bridgnorth Players started the day off in fine dramatic style with their theatrical piece Sabrina, Goddess of the Severn. Festival goers were then entertained by ten musical acts playing in the bandstand throughout the day, covering a range of styles and set ups. Sicky, Claire Shaw, Nick Greenwood, Bill Cowan, The Hair Thieves and Linda Tilley sung and played a fantastic variety of covers and original songs on guitars, while the rest of the acts brought some other instruments into the mix. 
Dan Elphick once again went down a storm with his harmonium and vocal arrangements, while his bright purple hair do lent an extra visual dimension to his set! Silent Rhapsody wowed the audience with their orchestral renditions of well-known songs on keyboards, guitar, violin and soaring female vocals. Thomson Oldeman played a mainly original set stylised by great guitar riffs, kicking acoustic bass lines and a combination of superb male and female vocals. Sally and Mike added some wonderfully laid back folk songs to the mix with Mike’s accomplished banjo picking set against Sally’s mellow guitar sounds and sweet soothing vocals. For dance fans there were also demonstrations by Cheerforce Ten, whose energetic routines went down well with all age groups.
The Museum on the Move made its second appearance at the event with its Staying In, Going Out exhibition all about entertainment in Staffordshire and the Black Country, which, along with children’s face painting, Knickerbockers ice cream and a mobile bar courtesy of The White Lion Inn, Bridgnorth, kept youngsters and adults alike entertained and refreshed throughout the day.
The weather was favourable once again, (only beginning to rain at the very end of proceedings), which helped to swell attendance of this growing event. The Bridge Dry Bar Trust was the nominated charity at the Castle Grounds day this year and members of the public were extremely generous in filling the collecting buckets. All in all another successful event – here’s to Castle Grounds Family Fun Day 2012!
