WINTERFEST

Arts, music, spoken word and more

WINTERFEST

Engaging and supporting the whole community

WINTERFEST

Banishing the winter blues
in Brightlingsea

Welcome to WinterFest

Since it began in 2015, WinterFest has been helping fight depression by raising spirits and developing a sense of community during the darkest time of the year. It’s a serious subject, but we have a lot of fun with a host of music, arts and other events taking place in February.

Following feedback from the local community, we’ve set up the WinterFest Wellbeing Fund to fund grants of up to £100 to help Brightlingsea residents undertake activities to improve their mental, physical or social wellbeing –such as tickets for a family day out, music lessons, sports lessons etc.

Three-quarters of the money raised at our 2019 events (after costs have been accounted for) will go into the new fund, with the remainder going to Mid and North Essex Mind.

WinterFest Wellbeing Fund Application

To find out more about the WinterFest Wellbeing Fund, download an application form by clicking the button below.

Wellbeing Fund

To date, WinterFest has raised over :

Find out more about Mind

Welcome
to
WinterFest

Since it began in 2015, WinterFest has been helping fight depression by raising spirits and developing a sense of community during the darkest time of the year. It’s a serious subject, but we have a lot of fun with a host of music, arts and other events taking place throughout February.

The festival has raised thousands of pounds for Mid & North Essex Mind, which offers support and advice to anyone suffering a mental health issue, and has helped to boost trade for local businesses too.

In 2019 we’re launching the WinterFest Community Fund to help individuals and projects in Brightlingsea.

To date, WinterFest has raised over :

Find out more about Mind

Our aims

To bring people of all ages and cultures in the community together to build community cohesion and resilience

To promote the arts as a contributing factor to better mental wellbeing and raise awareness of mental health issues

To showcase local talent, encourage more people to take up a new hobby and join the local clubs and music groups

To support local businesses, especially in the tourism and hospitality industry, helping to boost income

how it all began…

In 2014, following the suicide of a well-known local musician after a long battle with depression, a group of his friends decided to hold a small concert in his memory. The event was designed to raise spirits and boost the town’s sense of community.

The first WinterFest took place in 2015 – a four-day music and arts festival run by volunteers at at different venues around Brightlingsea. It raised over £2,000 for Mind UK and has since gone on to raise thousands more for Mid and North East Essex Mind, a self-funded subsidiary of Mind UK.

From those early beginnings, WinterFest has grown to become a major town event, featuring something for everyone to enjoy with lots of opportunities to get involved.

Come along and banish the winter blues with us!

how it all began…

In 2014, following the suicide of a well-known local musician after a long battle with depression, a group of his friends decided to hold a small concert in his memory. The event was designed to raise spirits and boost the town’s sense of community.

The first WinterFest took place in 2015 – a four-day music and arts festival run by volunteers at at different venues around Brightlingsea. It raised over £2,000 for Mind UK and has since gone on to raise thousands more for Mid and North East Essex Mind, a self-funded subsidiary of Mind UK.

From those early beginnings, WinterFest has grown to become a major town event, featuring something for everyone to enjoy with lots of opportunities to get involved.

Come along and banish the winter blues with us!

WinterFest works…

WinterFest
Works…

Really enjoyed the coaster making,think we are now addicted!
Loved making a clay man on a wet Sunday afternoon in February
Thanks so much,this has been AMAZING!
Keep going. I think music is a good medium because it talks the language of happiness, and perhaps more so, sadness and mixed feelings. KEEP GOING!
We were surprised at how many people approached us with stories about how mental health has affected their loved-ones and, in turn, affected them
I have suffered with bi polar for many years and find socialising difficult. I wanted to support WinterFest but could not attend the other events because of my anxiety. But the dog walk was amazing and I met several new friends. As a result we set up the Brightlingsea Dog Walking club and this is still meeting every week, 18 months later.
I have been sober for 18 months and this is the first time I have played guitar in public. My first gig. I loved it and have since been playing in numerous venues. Winterfest gave me the stage and confidence to do this.
We had only just moved to Brightlingsea and my 19 year old daughter suffers from extreme anxiety and phobias. Getting involved with the WinterFest planning helped us to make new friends and my daughter both produced and exhibited artwork- something she had not been able to do for several years.

Our fundraising does this...

Pays for a session with a Support, Time & Recovery worker to help with debt & finance issues or the search for work.

Covers the cost of a group session to offer support and friendship to people who find it hard to get out and about.

Pays for six counselling sessions for someone with mild to moderate depression or anxiety to help them cope.

Pays for eight sessions of therapeutic support for a young person having a tough time at school or at home.

Find out more

Donate to WinterFest

If you'd like to donate to Brightlingsea WinterFest, please click here.

WinterFest Donations

Donate to Brightlingsea WinterFest and you’ll be supporting Mid and North East Essex Mind and the WinterFest Wellbeing Fund. Thank you!

Note that payments are collected by our web host, Big Red Web Hosting.

WinterFest Gallery

Get involved...

Help

Many hands make life easy!
• Set up events
• Sell raffle tickets
• Run events
• Make cakes
• Whatever!

Perform

If you'd like to perform at Winterfest we want to hear from you. Bands, singers, poets, storytellers, dancers – whatever you do, help us make winter a brighter place.

Support us

Without your support, Winterfest can't happen. Come out to one of the many events happening throughout February and get involved. You'll feel much better for it!

WinterFest Video Vault

WinterFest
Video Vault