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 £200 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. Details of eligibility and how to apply to the fund will be confirmed in time for our 2019 events.

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

town

venues

events

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.

Events for 2019

2019 Events

We've got some great events planned for WinterFest 2019. Most are free to attend and there'll be plenty of opportunities to donate to WinterFest and buy some great WinterFest merchandise.

The list below shows confirmed events but please keep an eye on our Facebook page for the latest news or any last-minute changes. More details coming soon!

Wednesday, February 20 | 11.00am | Brightlingsea Library, New Street

Storytellers Carl Merry and Jan Williams, who travel Essex telling their enchanting stories, come to Brightlingsea Library.

A heart-warming entertainment for a chilly winter half term!

This is a free event, suitable for all ages, but contact the library on 0345 603 7628 in advance to book a place.

Friday, February 22 | 7.30pm | Studio Music, East End Green

Featuring Oo La Quartet - see them in action here.

Drinks and nibbles available, doors open 7.30pm.

Tickets - £15 each available from the WinterFest Box Office or Spirals in Victoria Place.

Saturday, February 23 | 7.00pm | Community Centre, Lower Park Road

Settle down with a bag of popcorn and watch the critically-acclaimed documentary, Searching for Sugarman, the fascinating story of two South Africans who set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock'n'roller, Rodriguez.

Saturday, February 23 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | The Rosebud, Hurst Green

Wivenhoe Funny Farm comes to WinterFest

The well-established comedy club makes a welcome visit to Brightlingsea.

This will be a great evening, with a line-up that includes experienced and award winning comedians:

Suggested donation on the door £5

Sunday, February 24 | 10.00am - 4.00pm | Brightlingsea Sailing Club, Oyster Tank Rd

Enjoy a fun, relaxing and enjoyable day of creative activity, with a wide choice of media to play with, in workshops guided by local friendly artists. A list of the workshops available is shown below and more detailed information can be viewed and downloaded here. You can also download a flyer listing all the activities here.

• Participants need no previous experience or ability, just a willingness to have a go!

• Children are welcome but are required to have adult support for workshops

• Arts & Crafts from participating artists will also be on display & for sale

• All welcome to drop by, there will be a pop-up café at the Sailing Club, offering savoury and sweet delights, run by volunteers, open all day! All proceeds from the café will go to the WinterFest Wellbeing Fund.

• Brightlingsea Beach School activities available for younger children ( confident walking -8yrs ) parents to accompany. Please wear wellies ( adults and children) and waterproofs for children, wrap up warm! Times : 10-11am and 1130–1230, booking preferred but not essential contact Juliette Heppell 07977477556 Juliette@heppell.net

Disabled access and toilet available, easy parking at the venue – please let us know in advance of extra support needed.

PLEASE NOTE : To avoid disappointment, booking is advisable to take part in all art and craft workshops.

To secure your place, please contact: Nicky Sheales tel 01206 306324

We have endeavoured to keep costs as low as possible just to cover the materials you will use in each workshop. Artists are kindly donating their time.

AM Workshops

11am -1pm Papermaking from plants

10.30-12.30 Monotype printing

10.30-12.00 Mixed Medium Postcards

10.00- 11.15 & 11.30-12.45 Animals pottery workshop (air dry clay)

10.00am-1200pm Nautical Ropework (dragonfly key ring or coaster, 30 min slots)

10.30-12.30 Experiment with Texture and Paints

PM Workshops

1.00-2.00 Ropework Nautical Ropework (dragonfly key ring or coaster, 30 min slots)

2-4pm Making Faces in Clay

2-4pm Experiment with Colour

Sunday, February 24 | 2.30pm | Railway Tavern, Station Road

The well-known poet, songwriter and raconteur comes to WinterFest.

It's sure to be a popular event, so arrive early to avoid disappointment!

Suggested donation of £5 on the door.

Your chance to win some fantastic prizes in the WinterFest Raffle

Much of the money raised at WinterFest comes from sales of our raffle tickets. There's some great prizes on offer this year thanks to some very generous donors. Most of our events are free to enter - so please support the Festival, buy a raffle ticket and help support wellbeing in your community.

This year's prizes include:

A Bungee Jump courtesy of Red Letter Days
Peake Fitness Resort Spa Day for 2 at Stoke by Nayland
Buffet B10 Clarinet & music books – donated by Colleen Williams
Family Admission Voucher at Marks Hall Arboretum
T-London products from founder Jayne Kethro (@tlondonuk)
Signed Original Lino Print by local artist Julie Taylor-Lange
Original Oil Painting by local artist Christine Storey
Voucher for Exhale Beauty Salon in Brightlingsea
Fruit basket from Bumbles in Brightlingsea
Flower bouquet from Jenny Elizabeth Flowers in Brightlingsea
Signed copy of a Bridget Jones' Baby film poster
Room Diffuser from Baylis and Harding
David Lloyd Free Family Pass for 14 Days
£50 Boden clothing voucher

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