Crouch End Festival 4 - 13 May 2012

Visit the festival site here for more info.

At the end of last year, when I told my London friends we’d finally found a flat to buy, and were moving to Crouch End, several of them said, ‘You’ll love it there – it’s a very creative place’. At first I was flattered because this meant they thought I was creative too (several years working as accountant hadn’t corrupted me after all), but then I worried that this term ‘creative place’ was English code for ‘run down’ or ‘not as expensive as NW3’ (which is where we were living at the time). Over the years I’ve got to know that the English very rarely say what they mean…

I also pondered over this statement because I couldn’t quite understand how exactly a place shows itself as ‘being creative’.

But after last night I know all these friends were right, because I attended a hugely energetic and creative meeting of The Crouch End Festival organisers.

This first ever Crouch End Festival is a brainchild of several people in a group called Crouch End Creatives, and it will take place all around Crouch End, N8, on 4 to 13 May 2012. There will be near to 100 acts, ranging from belly dancing to poetry readings and they will be performing in local coffee shops, galleries and schools. There will be burlesque shows, concerts in parks, knitting workshops, children’s theatre performances, arts and crafts workshops and fine art exhibitions. The whole programme will be announced around mid-April, and I will do a post about my favourite creative events and recommendations nearer the time. One thing is for sure – after meeting many of the creative people involved last night, I can safely say there will be something for everyone at The Crouch End Festival.

I leave you with a wonderful clip of one of the acts, Rosy Summerbell. She’ll be performing during the festival and I cannot wait to see her in action.