The Waterlooville Festival
Of music, we hoped would suit all.
----- Lunchtime concerts -----
We’d organ, song and violin.
The pupils from two schools came in,
Organ recitals, piano,
All beautifully played, and so
The week was passed most pleasantly.
These lunchtime concerts were all free.
We’d stalls with Traidcraft, cards and more.
Located near the vestry door
A lunchtime menu on a list -
Quiche, ploughmans, soup, drinks if you wished
To buy your lunch with us, or you
Could have a picnic in the pew.
----- Evening concerts -----
Each evening too a new event,
To concerts every night we went -
A String Quartet, Jazz, Rock, Choirs and
On Wednesday Highbury Area Band.
With stalls and drinks, a raffle too
So lots to see and lots to do.
----- The Cream Teas -----
On Friday afternoon our plan,
(at least we hoped when we began)
Was serving cream teas on the lawn
But with the skies grey and forlorn
And as the rain began to fall
We had to move this to the hall.
Our ladies baking scones so we
Could have them freshly made for tea.
With cream and jam, and tea and cake
A really scrumptious meal did make.
----- The Fête -----
The weather dithered - fine then wet
With no idea of what we’d get
During the day, had to decide
To move most of the stalls inside.
The church looked really large though for
The pews were moved the night before
The venue Friday night had been
For Manti, Fizz and Vasolene.
With stalls in church and in the hall
And barbecue outside we all
Coped very well, and made what’s more
A greater profit than before.
----- Last Night at the Proms -----
Again the weather intervened,
A picnic in the garden seemed
A little brave, to have relied
On sitting on the ground outside.
So as the pews since Friday, all
Were neatly stored against the wall
It seemed the best thing to decide
To bring the whole event inside.
We’d wine and juice and barrelled beer
And sitting so we all could hear
On rug, or pew, or garden chair
A crowded church assembled there
To listen to the Denmead Band,
With sounds melodious and grand.
And lastly came Jerusalem,
And Land of Hope and Glory, when
How loud we sang, with flags waved high,
To lift our music to the sky.
And so successful was it all
Our second Music Festival,
It’s been decided on that we’re
To do the same again next year.
Janet Johnson
