Wye Valley River Festival 2016 | Page 18

monmouth, Vauxhall Fields Saturday, May 7 Wye Serai, leading to a night performance 12.00 - 10.15pm Around town look out for buskers, river characters and three new outdoor art commissions from Articulture. Encamped on Vauxhall Fields, the Wye Serai will be full of river antics, song, dance and foolishness. The Samovar will be stoked up and serving tea around performances from Monmouth Band, Forest of Dean Male Voice Choir and a shoal of floating musicians. Plenty of marvellous food vendors and liquid poetry. The day culminates with a spectacular show from 7.30 pm. the slaughters Sunday, May 8 Mini Wye Serai, 11.00am - 5.00pm A special mini Serai ‘Listen to the Sap Rising and Hear the Earth Move’ with Forestry Commission and woodland experts, lets you enter a magical woodland experience. The Slaughters is the Forestry Commission riverside meadow just downstream from Symonds Yat East and the Rapids and upstream of the Biblins Bridge. Walk or cycle either from Symonds Yat East, or up the Peregrine Path from Monmouth wye valley sculpture garden, tintern Friday, May 13 The Art of Sustainability: Rivers, Local meets Global - Talk 6.00pm - 8.00pm A live link to Brazil with Professor Henrique Chaves in conversation with Simon Evans from the Wye and Usk Foundation (booking required via www.eventbrite.co.uk). After the talk drinks and wood fired pizza will be on sale accompanied by live music. LLandogo Saturday May 14 Wye Serai, 12.30 - 10.30pm Join us by the banks of the Wye for a great day out. Alongside the Wye Serai, with the Samovar and the Water Ones up to their usual slippery tricks, there are theatre, games, music, food and a festival bar. As evening approaches, fire-torch bearers and musicians converge at the river’s edge where choirs and musicians enchant the river as everyone joins the Water Ones to bless the waters of the Wye. chepstow Racecourse Sunday 15 May Grand Finale 2.00pm - 10.30pm The travelling Wye Serai gathers for the final time for a fun filled afternoon of stalls and activities celebrating water stories and the final servings from the Samovar. There is plenty of food and drink and a Beast Feast. As dusk approaches the Festival Choir heralds the lighting of a river fire sculpture, before finally the Water Ones seep away on their global journey. MINI SERAI Look out for the special mid-week locations of the individual Caravans and A&E Laboratory as they meander through local schools, towns and villages between Hereford and Chepstow on 4th, 5th and 11th, 12th, 13th May (check www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk, Facebook and Twitter for details). Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid including sulphuric acid.