FUN Has No Age Limit is the battle cry for the Forever Young Festival, to be held at Grimston Court care home in York on September 2.
"Last year's inaugural event was really well attended despite rainfall than would have sent Noah indoors," says organiser Ian Donaghy, who set up the festival to bring generations together to show that music and dance is for everyone.
"The day was full of joyous moments where everybody mucked in, pulled up a comfy hay bale, grabbed a cuppa and enjoyed some of the finest music around. The event, sponsored by Wellburn Care, who own Grimston Court, raised more than £3,000 for Age UK York and St Leonard’s Hospice as the York community really embraced Forever Young.”
Magician Josh Benson performing at last summer's Forever Young day
This summer's festival, hosted by Big Ian at the care home in Hull Road, will feature performances by Jess Steel, Las Vegas Ken, Beth McCarthy, Stamford Bridge Community Choir Lucy’s Pop Choir and the Steve Cassidy Band. The first acts will start promptly at 12pm with live entertainment in two large marquees until 8pm.
Big Ian is putting one act together especially for the day: The Old Fiddles, a group of musicians with an average age of over 75, whose set list on the main stage will be drawn from the 1950s and 1960s. "Let’s hope the saying is true that many a good tune can be played by the Old Fiddles," he says. "Meanwhile, our oldest performer on the day will be part of a ceilidh accordion band who's aged 93 but still gigging!"
York Valley Arts Theatre Company will perform ten West End production numbers from Billy Elliot, Wicked, West Side Story, Grease, Oliver and Matilda. "The dynamic duo of Megan Conway and Ben Papworth have been rehearsing this talented group every Sunday evening since April," says Big Ian.
Organiser Ian Donaghy on song at Forever Young in 2016
Look out for the JNJS Classic Soul team playing Northern Soul dancefloor fillers and multi-talented Josh Benson performing his magic tricks, fresh from his West End run in the Gary Barlow and Tim Firth musical The Girls. A barbecue, home-made cake and pie stalls, a licensed bar, craft stalls, face-painting and bouncy castles will be on site too.
Recalling last summer's debut festival, reveller Ian Thompson says: "Last year we came with four generations from Great Grandma at 102 to our youngest at two and we all had a fantastic time.”
Singer Heather Findlay recalls taking part in the inaugural event. "We performed for the ladies and gentlemen inside the care home who were too frail to join the festival outside. The reception we received was beautiful and showed the true impact music makes to all of us. I can’t wait for September 2.”
Parking will be £5 per car and the festival has a “pay what you think it’s worth” policy, where all donations will go to St Leonard’s Hospice and Age UK York.
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