THE MAINDEE FESTIVAL returns to Newport this weekend, and here is everything you need to know about timings, location, which traders will attend, and how to get involved.
The annual Maindee Festival is set to begin at Maindee Primary School, on Saturday, July 6, 2024, with events taking place between 12pm midday until 6pm. Attendees can look forward to an eclectic mix of performances from festival performers, local musical and spoken word talents, art installations, and educational exhibits.
Maindee Festival Parade
First on the agenda is the Maindee Festival Parade, which will showcase and highlight the community which came together to make hot air balloons, kites, mini windmills and Japanese fish wind socks for the carnival parade.
The parade will begin at 12.15pm after midday and will leave from Maindee Primary School on Corporation Road.
The Maindee Festival Association has said: "We organise the annual Maindee Festival, held in July, and use arts and environmental activities to bring together people of different ethnicity and cultural background, age, abilities, geographical locations and faith communities.
"We want to encourage people from all cultures and communities to get involved in the Association.
"Our aim is to build bridges between different communities to celebrate the rich cultural diversity of Newport and to support the economic, social and environmental regeneration of Maindee."
The Zimbabwe Newport Volunteering Association will be participating in the parade as usual, through African drumming and singing, wearing cultural African attire.
A spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Newport Volunteering Association, said: "The festival brings communities together while we share cultures and link them to Welsh culture & Newport Heritage."
The parade will leave from Maindee Primary School around 12.15pm midday, heading over the Newport City Footbridge to the Riverfront, and back to Maindee Primary School for more of the Maindee Festival at 1pm.
Sustainability Tent (of Intent)
Named the “Tent of Intent” and powered by Newport Circular Economy Network, the sustainability tent at the Maindee Festival will hold a clothes swap, arts & crafts swap, with a bike repair and valet area.
Clothes swap
Do you have clothes that need a new home? Bring unwanted clothes (which are in good condition and not damaged) to the clothes swap at the sustainability tent and exchange them for something a little more, you.
No money will be exchanged, just clothes.
Arts & crafts swap
Have you or your family created anything in your arts and crafts sessions? These can be brought along to the arts & crafts swap on Saturday, to exchange for other arts and crafts.
Those attending are urged to bring something that someone else would find useful and usable.
Bike repair
Not only will you get the chance to store your bike safely and securely, the bike valet can even check your brakes, gears, and chains to make sure your next journeys go without a hitch.
Spoken Word Tent
International storyteller, Dick Berry, will be spinning his yarns throughout the afternoon for the young and old alike, beginning at 1pm.
Attendees will also hear from poets, writers and spoken word artists from Newport and further afield, including Newport Writers, the YMCO, Alan Roderick and friends, The Valleys Poetry Society, and Des Mannay.
The charity organisation Young Muslim and Community Organisation, the YMCO, have been asked to be part of the spoken word tent and will have a segment to read passages from their recent collection of lived experiences of ethnically diverse people, which will form part of an upcoming book.
A spokesperson for the YMCO has said: "We will have our storytellers read out some of their own stories and hope to have a positive impact."
Music Tent
The music tent has a full programme, supported by Newport City Radio.
Headliners, Sounds of Revelry, to perform between 1.15pm and 2pm
Maindee School 2.15pm to 2.35pm
Soul’d as Seen 2.45pm to 3.15pm
Act Happy 3.30pm to 4pm
Postmodern shoe box 4.15pm to 4.45pm
Operasonic 5pm to 5.30pm
Youth Tent
The Community Youth Project from Community House will bring a youth stage, an open mic-style stage.
Attendees can expect rapping, hip hop, traditional Roma dancing from the Romany Arts Company, singing, and a chance to join in with a karaoke session.
Festival traders and organisations
Traders at the Maindee Festival include:
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The Good Stuff (Coffee Truck)
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R&N Inflatables (Bouncy Castle)
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Cake Lab (Cakes)
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Stacie's Ice Cream (Ice Cream)
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Lilac Tea Trinkets (Jewellery)
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Snowzone Snowycones (Snowcones)
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Dinky Donuts (Donuts)
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Daisy Doos )Hippie / festival clothing)
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Vee's Kitchen (Caribbean food)
Organisations at the Maindee Festival include:
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Education Workforce Council
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Flying Start
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Gwent Wildlife
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Parkinsons UK
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Free Palestine
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Extinction Rebellion
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Aneurin Beven University Health Board
A spokesperson for the Maindee Festival Association said: "It’s a celebration of our community’s spirit, resilience, and commitment to a better future.
"We invite everyone to join us on July 6th for a day of unity, creativity, and environmental awareness."
More information about the festival can be found here: www.maindee.org/festival
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