What's on at the Stamford Georgian Festival 2019: A guide to events

The Stamford Georgian Festival, organised by the South Kesteven District Council, is taking place from tomorrow until Sunday (September 26 to 29).

This year's festival will be celebrating the 'Age of Wonder and Invention' and is inspired by stories of Stamford's past.

Here we provide your full guide to the four days' entertainment.

A free family-friendly spectacular will be one of the top events at the festival. Taking place from 6.30pm on Saturday it includes an animated historical fantasy projected onto medieval Browne’s Hospital.

Coun Kelham Cooke from South Kesteven District Council said it shows SKDC's commitment to high quality cultural entertainment across the district.

"It's going to be an amazing night,” said Coun Cooke, “Stamford epitomises the Georgian era and the festival is an excellent way to celebrate our history and draw thousands of visitors to enjoy our beautiful town and at the same time give a boost to our local economy.”

Celebrating the Georgians' fascination with invention and wonder, the spectacle tells the story of Millicent Stanley and her dreams of becoming an inventor.

The first part of the evening is a lantern parade gathering in St Mary's Street at 6.30pm, with entertainment in St George's Square and some circus surprises.

The parade moves off at 7pm, arriving in Broad Street at 7.15pm for live music and further entertainment. The Age of Wonder performance starts at 7.30pm, finishing at 8pm.

The festival market in Broad Street takes place from 10am to 4.30pm on the Saturday and Sunday. It will have 75 traders over the weekend offering jewellery, jams, candles, cloths, iron garden art, artwork, glasswork, Chinese ornaments, Georgian costumes and fabrics.

There will be a variety of caterers including vegan street food, freshly squeezed fruit juice, ice cream, a hog roast, sausages, lamb.

On Saturday evening, Lamphouse Theatre tells the tale of a boy found in the woods, unable to speak or stand up straight who was taken to the king's court where he lived as a pet. After falling from favour he was forgotten until a fire at Norwich prison. Live music and puppetry tell the story in the theatre at Stamford Arts Centre. The show starts at 8.30pm.

Special workshops run by artist Nadya Monfrinoli and Louise Jones have helped youngsters create 90 colourful lanterns, each with its own internal battery light.

As many as 500 lanterns could be taking to the streets as part of the street theatre.

A final Saturday lantern and crafts workshop between 11am and 3pm in the Stamford Arts Centre offers the last chance to make a parade lantern or themed crafts.

Further events include a promenade and picnic, fringe theatre events, a talk on the golden age of watch-making, amazing stories from the lives of historical figures, as well as special play performances.

Parking

Regular parking permissions in the centre of Stamford are being suspended this weekend for the Stamford Georgian Festival – including the areas with parking permits.

Cars parking in affected areas have been issued with leaflets this week advising them of the suspension and town centre residents and businesses have received letters advising them of roads closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Free festival car parking for 400 vehicles will be open former Cummins factory, now St Martin's Park on Barnack Road for the whole weekend, although exit barriers will come down at 10pm.

The car park will have lighting, CCTV coverage and be manned until 10pm although vehicle owners are warned to park at their own risk.

It’s a ten-minute walk back from the park to the centre of Stamford along Barnack Road, onto Water Lane and over the bridge onto Albert Road.

All other town car parks will operate as normal.

Advance notice on road closures

Roads to be closed from 4am Saturday 28 until 11pm Sunday 29 September are:

Broad Street

Ironmonger Street

Red Lion Street

High Street

St Mary’s Street – from junction of St Mary’s Hill to the junction of Maiden Lane

Maiden Lane

Blackfriars – to the junction of Wharf Road

St George's Street

St Mary’s Place

All festival information and tickets are available by clicking here or from the Stamford Arts Centre box office 01780 763203.

The programme includes:

Friday 27th September

Around the Globe with Captain Cook and Joseph Banks Exhibition, Browne’s Hospital, 10am to 3pm

Georgian Costume Exhibition, Browne’s Hospital, 10am to 3pm

Tours of the Town Hall, Stamford Town Hall, 10am to 4pm

Tours of Browne’s Hospital, Browne’s Hospital, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm

Stamford in the Georgian Transport Era, Stamford Arts Centre, 10am to 3pm

Mrs Biggs: A Most Remarkable Georgian Heroine, Stamford Arts Centre, 12pm

The Art and Mystery of Clockmaking, Loomes of Stamford, 4 St Mary's Hill 12pm and 2.30pm

Georgian Costume Workshop, Stamford Library, 1pm to 3pm

The Georgian Sense-O-Matic Show, Corn Exchange Theatre, 1pm and 6pm

Fallen Favourites? Stamford Arts Centre Theatre, 2pm

Stamford Walking Tour, starting at Stamford Arts Centre, 2.30pm

Dressing for the Ball, Stamford Arts Centre Gallery, 6pm

Costume Ball, Stamford Arts Centre Ballroom, 7pm

A Celebration of Jane Austen with Robert Powell and Susan Jameson, Stamford Arts Centre Theatre, 7.30pm

Saturday 28th September

Market on Broad Street, Broad Street, 10am to 4.30pm

Entertainment on the Meadows, The Meadows, 10am to 4.30pm

Around the Globe with Captain Cook and Joseph Banks Exhibition, Browne’s Hospital, 10am to 3pm

Georgian Costume Exhibition, Browne’s Hospital, 10am to 3pm

Tours of the Town Hall, Stamford Town Hall, 10am to 4pm

Tours of Browne’s Hospital, Browne’s Hospital, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm

Stamford in the Georgian Transport Era, Stamford Arts Centre, 10am to 3pm

Omnibus Carriage Rides, St George’s Square, 10am to 4.30pm

Mail Coach Rides around Burghley Park, Burghley House, 10am to 4.30pm

St George’s Church Open Morning and Tours, St George’s Church, 10am to 1pm

Mrs Siddons’ Dressing Room, Stamford Arts Centre, 11am, 1pm, 2.30pm, 4pm and 5.30pm

Georgian Makeup, Stamford Library, 11am to 1pm

Georgian Verse with Richard Barter, Walkers Bookshop, 11am to 1pm

A Mad and Marvellous Mooch through Georgian Wonders and Inventions, Stamford Arts Centre, 11am, 1pm and 3pm

Georgian Crafts Make a Parade Lantern Workshop, Stamford Arts Centre Ballroom, 11am to 3pm

Stamford Guided Walk, Stamford Arts Centre, 11.30am to 2.30pm

Tethered Balloon Rides, The Meadows, 11.45am to 3.30pm

The Art and Mystery of Clockmaking, Loomes of Stamford, 12pm and 2.30pm

Special Mail Coach Ride, Burghley’s Stable Courtyard, 12pm

Meet a Georgian Inventor! Stamford Town Hall, Old Court Room, 1pm

Dancing with Darcy and Tea with Mrs Bennet, St Mary’s and St Augustine’s Church, Broad Street, 1.30pm to 3.10pm and/or 2.30pm to 4.10pm

Georgian Servants in Verse, Stamford Library, 2pm

Greenwood Quire, St Mary’s Church, 3pm

Regency Re-jigged, Burghley House, 3pm

Wild Boy Family Music Workshop, Stamford Arts Centre Theatre, 3.30pm

The Age of Wonder, St Mary’s Street, 7pm and 8pm

Steampunk Cabaret, Stamford Corn Exchange, 8pm

Wild Boy Show, Stamford Arts Centre Theatre, 8.30pm

Frumenty Band, Meet in Arts Centre, Cellar Bar, 8.30pm

Sunday September 29

Georgian Market, Broad Street, 10am to 4.30pm

Entertainment on the Meadows, Stamford Meadows, 10am to 4.30pm

Omnibus Carriage Rides, St George’s Square, 10am to 4.30pm

Mail Coach Rides around Burghley Park, Burghley House, 10am to 4.30pm

Around the Globe with Captain Cook and Joseph Banks Exhibition, Browne’s Hospital, 10am to 3pm

Georgian Costume Exhibition, Browne’s Hospital, 10am to 3pm

Stamford in the Georgian Transport Era, Stamford Arts Centre, 10am to 3pm

Tours of the Town Hall, Stamford Town Hall, 10am to 4pm

A Mad and Marvellous Mooch through Georgian Wonders and Inventions, Stamford Arts Centre, 11am, 1pm and 3pm

Mrs Siddons’ Dressing Room, Stamford Arts Centre, 11am, 1pm, 2.30pm, 4pm and 5.30pm

Stamford Guided Walk, Stamford Arts Centre, 11.30am

Tethered Balloon Rides, Stamford Meadows, 11.45am to 3.30pm

Special Mail Coach Ride, Burghley Stable Courtyard, 12pm

The Honours of the Table, Stamford Town Hall, Old Court Room, 12pm

Meet a Georgian Inventor! Stamford Town Hall, Old Court Room, 1pm

The Re-Discovery of Sir Joseph Banks’ Florilegium, Stamford Arts Centre Theatre, 1pm

Costumed Promenade, Stamford Meadows, 2pm

Georgian Picnic, Stamford Meadows, 3pm

England’s First Balloonist, Stamford Arts Centre Theatre, 3pm

Afternoon Tea with Music, Stamford Arts Centre Ballroom, 3.30pm to 4.30pm

More Than a Dream: Invention and Innovation in the Age of Enlightenment, Stamford Art Centre Theatre, 5pm

Being Mr Wickham, Stamford Art Centre Theatre, 7pm