Tag: picnic in the park

A Perfect Picnic in the Park

A perfect sunny(ish) Sunday at Hillworth Park in Devizes, if not to overcome one’s fear of public speaking while dressed in a giraffe onesie and fantabulous tie, but most definitely for a picnic, for the kids to play, and for a fantastic treat from DOCA…

With the unfortunate cancellation of Devizes International Street Festival due to Arts Council funding cuts, DOCA pulled out all the stops for a fantastic and most memorable Picnic in the Park this year.

Slightly deceiving name, Picnic in the Park, if you didn’t know. For while there’s picnicking and yes, it’s in the park, there’s plentiful side stalls, a bar and enough entertainment to deem it a mini festival, of sorts. Mayor Ian Hopkins opened the event, hilarious street circus artist Able Mable filled the gaps between the bands perfectly with her own brand of clowning and superb audience participation. She was the very definition of entertainment.

Kai Carter’s Old Time Hustle made for an amazing kick off. Beguiling guitar, trombone and fiddle, foot-stomping magic moments as suggested on the tin, finding time for some facts about pigeons and to delightfully deliver long lost covers, particularly those of Virginia’s country legend Patsy Cline. They made tradition look cool, very cool.

Second act was equally as lovely and skilled.  From Manchester, Good Habits created the most divine sound, and wonderfully full and bassy, considering it was just a cellist and an accordion duo. Particularly adroit was their Kate Bush cover, but then, their original compositions held equivalent poignancy. They’re the kind of duo who could fit into any festival and simmer an audience in awe.

Delighted to have some input, the third and final act was my personal choice. Local family collective, The Sarah C Ryan Band were perfect for this kind of communal event, they’re unique and original, smooth and cool. It’s a paced, universal sound, reflecting masterful pop-rock classics like Kate Bush, Genesis and Fleetwood Mac, yet distinctive. Rarely have they played Devizes, so I was hopeful you’d take heed, as their performance was as memorable as the day was in general.

I caught Sarah and the band last week playing the fantastic Minety, which while I thought was awesome, I believe they played even better here at Hillworth. Perhaps being the headliner here renewed their confidence, perhaps it was Simon at the control tower showing off his new kit, or rather, I favour it was more about the flavour of the glorious day.

DOCA’s ability to bring the best out of Devizes, even at their more simpler events is something to behold with pride. For yep, indeedy, the entertainment was first class, the organisation dedicated, the vibe was positively gleaming, someone threw me a Penguin biscuit (thank you!) but above them all is the sum of their parts, monumental in what can be achieved by pulling resources together.

It may not have been the England football team’s night, (who could’ve predicted it?!) but it certainly was DOCA’s day in Hillworth. Just thought you should know, in case you’re thinking I shouldn’t review an event I was involved in. You should note I only helped them drink their tea and ate all the brownies which were supposed to be for the musicians! It’s the real festival makers, those kindly volunteers who really make DOCA what it is, so the last thanks goes to them as we head towards carnival on the 31st August with renewed sense of anticipation.

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DOCA Picnicing in the Park!

With the unfortunate cancellation of Devizes International Street Festival this year due to Arts Council cuts, all eyes are on our wonderful Hillworth Park next Sunday (14th July) for DOCA’s Picnic in the Park; now more now ever DOCA needs our support, and this promises to be the best and most fun way to do it!

Truly a community and family event, yes it’s a picnic, in a park, as the title suggests but there’s oh, so much more to it; bring your own picnic, Hillworth supplies the park, DOCA provides the sparkle, as I trust you’ll already know this and have allotted it into your busy schedules. Although there’s an important note we must say:

Due to losing the Arts Council funding for 2024, DOCA will be asking for donations on the gate to cover the cost of this event. This is entirely voluntary, but any contribution you can make no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated.  

If you cannot attend but would like to donate to DOCA, find a Crowdfunding link HERE

Expect fairground rides for kids, stalls, delicious crepes from La Bonne Crêpe and drinks from Freddy’s Double Deuce Bar. Plus the usual fab offering of drinks, snacks and ice creams from the Hillworth Park Cafe. 

Good Habits, one of the most exciting indie-folk duos to come out of the UK, will be there. Cellist and singer Bonnie and percussionist Pete on accordion and synths have received international critical acclaim with performances at Glastonbury and WOMAD, tours throughout Europe and Australasia, and a Top 40 album. The pair mix revved-up virtuosity and harmony with vivid storytelling, drawing on their diverse musical tastes and weaving them into an action-packed narrative of genre-bending goodness.

Banjo, mandolin and fiddle trio, Kai Carter’s Old Time Hustle will do as they say on their tin, timeless frenzied folk shenanigans to make you forget munching on the Penguin biscuits your mum packed in a lunchbox and come jig with us!  

I’m delighted to announce the final band suggestion is via us. Although The Sarah C Ryan Band are locally based, rarely have they played Devizes, (I believe the Southgate in 2022) so we need to give them our warmest of welcomes. I think they’re perfect for this, smooth, cool original pop-rock, and they’ve played extensively across our festival circuit; I’m hoping to catch them later today at Minety!

There’s a minor detail I’m delighted about at this year’s Picnic in the Park, but it’s all top secret, so you’ll just have to come along to find out what it is! But I can tell you, top street cabaret act Able Mable will be there too, vibrant, technically skilled charisma which nerve fails to entertain.

In a continuous bid to reduce waste, DOCA have partnered with Devizes Town Council, and Picnic in the Park will pilot reusable pint and half pint cups, aiming for drinks to be disposable-free across the whole event. Please be sure to return your cup as instructed on the day; DOCA thank you for supporting their efforts to make positive changes to the environmental impact, and in turn, we thank them for all they do to keep events sustainable.

Everything winds down around 5pm, making it the perfect Sunday in Devizes, but if you’re in need to carry the party on, around the same time, the wonderful Essex Americana group Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective will be just around the corner, at The Southgate; and they come highly recommended by us.

Hope to see you all, with no excuses, at Hillworth Park a week today; yay for DOCA, please support them and all the wonderful work they do for our town.