We are delighted to be able to publish a provisional program at this early stage,  so people can see what to expect and maybe to encourage others to put on their own event or activity. If you would like to plan something it is likely you will need a low cost venue – may I suggest the newly refurbished Community Hall.  Otherwise there are a number of supportive venues for indoor events and various free public spaces for activities like exercises, walking, running, playing games etc. With this in mind we have brought the festival forward a week in the hope of better weather.

In particular may we invite people to join us in the High Street at 5.00pm on Friday 12th Sept for our “Grand  Opening Ceremony”.

Please see the full draft here – but the following shows a brief overview of what we are aware of so far – it is by no means complete nor can we guarantee that they will all happen. We do know from experience that many events are organised later – so if this is the case for you then please let us know as soon as possible so we can be sure to include you.

Friday 12th: Town Centre Friday Market, Scarecrow Festival, Community Festival Opening Ceremony

Saturday 13th: Saints Football Club at the STMA, Community Market, Flower Festival at the Methodist Church, Teddy Tombola and Zip Wire, Scarecrow Festival, Pirouettes & Pullbacks STMA, Shefford in the Past – film show, Community Hall

Sunday 14th: Saints Football Club at the STMA, Flower Festival at the Methodist Church, Scarecrow Festival, Taekwondo at the Community Hall, Garage Sale Trail, Beginners Tai Chi at the Community Hall

Monday 15^th Shared Space at the Baptist Church, Campton Dance at Shefford Methodist Hall, Beginners Tai Chi – Community Hall, Karate at the Methodist Hall, Thai Kick Boxing for Adults at the Community Hall, Players at the STMA, Karaoke at the Methodist Hall, Shefford Runners at the STMA

Tuesday 16th:  Parents and Toddlers at the Methodist Hall, Ramble – from the Lemon Plaice Bellcote Meadow – Shefford Conservation Group work party, Shefford Art Society at the Community Hall, Clinical Pilates at the Methodist Hall, Shefford Majorettes Free taster evening at the STMA, Shefford WI at the Community Hal, Darts League at the STMA

Wednesday 17th: Need Project at the Methodist Church, Warm space at the Methodist Church Hall, Pilates at the Methodist Hall, Children’s Yoga at the STMA, Line Dancing at the Community Hall, The Methodist Church Hall Community Choir, Full Bottle Fitness at the STMA,

Thursday 18th: Line Dancing at the Community Hall, Well Being Walk from Shefford Library, Jo Jingles at the STMA, Mini Hatters at the Methodist Hall, Sanctuary Prayer/Meditation space at the Baptist Church, Brownies & Guides at the Methodist Hall, Shefford Runners at the STMA, Full Bottle Fitness at the STMA, Wing Chun at the Methodist Hall, Shefford & District Amateur Radio Club at the Community Hall, Crib League at the STMA

Friday 19th: Town Centre Friday Market, Pilates at the Methodist Hall, Discover Mindfulness at BEST House, 10am Self-help Art Group at the STMA, Mad Hatters at the Methodist Hall, Sloop Groggy Dog. Sea Shanty Group at the STMA

Saturday 20th: Shefford Saints Football Club at the STMA, Art Exhibition at the Community Hall, Pirouettes & Pullbacks at the STMA, Afternoon at the Baptist Church Hall an exploration of nature/the environment, Tiny Tails at the Methodist Hall, Rainbows at the Methodist Hall

Sunday 21st: Shefford Saints Football Club at the STMA, Art Exhibition at the Community Hall, Messy Harvest service at the Baptist Church, Community Lunch at the Baptist Church following the Messy Harvest service, Beginners Tai Chi at the Community Hall

Friday 27th (delayed event): East Feast Street Food, High Street Shefford

I was alerted recently to the popularity of our skate park at the far end of the Campton Fields – “Electrical” (?)  estate so I went for a look – the park was certainly popular with lots of young people and one dad, on skateboards and scooters, having fun and learning tricks.  It looked a really good way to get together – people joined in and chatted in a relaxed outdoor environment.

Every Friday from 6.00am to 1.00 pm we have a Town centre Market in the middle of town with stalls for: Fruit & Veg, Flowers and plants, Fresh Fish, Mobile phone repair, Greek foods, Home goods and cleaning products. It is a lively event in the old tradition of market towns throughout England and we hope that many more stalls will join us each week. Perfect to pick up a healthy snack or your weekend veggies on the way to work. We look forward to enjoying the Friday Market during our Community Festival week on Sept 12th and 19th.

In addition to outside sponsors we would like to also recognise the admin team who started the Festival off and run it each year – that is myself as organiser based at my Shefford Marketing Agency  with my colleague Sue Warne and my partner Lesley Whiteman, whose company River Dream Events run the Shefford Community Market on behalf of Shefford Town Council, on the second Saturday of every month, in the High Street and Pamoli Square.

It is worth noting perhaps that the Community Festival grew out of my own  involvement on the Community Hall committee – where I run weekly Tai Chi classes.

We have been talking about sponsors recently who pay to support the community but there are others who make the festival possible by providing an invaluable service. These include local publications Shefford Newsline and LivingLife magazines who support Shefford by publishing and delivering information about the festival – without them we could not let you know what is going on.

Equally we are supported online by  Lesley Whiteman Social Media – and by Shefford Local – who also offer low cost social media advertising to help local businesses, charities and events to be found by local people.

We are delighted to welcome Bathroom Vogue once again as a Festival sponsor for 2025 – Bathroom Vogue are yet another local business supporting their community in a way that enables us to promote the festival – now in it’s eighth year! They are a family-run business who have been  helping Shefford create it’s bathrooms  since 1989.

We are delighted the team at Lemon Plaice have chosen once again to sponsor the Festival for 2025. Lemon Plaice at the top of the High Street is a landmark  traditional fish and chip shop that has been proud to be feeding the good people of Shefford for the last 20 years.

I’d like to give a shout out for our Shefford Community Hall which has recently had a great make over with installation of a new heating and air conditioning system plus a new audio visual system with hearing loop.

The hall has a long history of serving the community and has a social centred ethos which enables it to offer a unique venue for kids parties, social/exercise classes and other social group activities for the benefit of young and old people in our town. It would be a brilliant venue for events and activities during the Community Festival.

The Hall is on one level with a composite floor. The entrance has a ramp allowing for wheelchair access. The kitchen has a serving hatch. Ladies, Gents and Disabled Toilet are provided. Outside there is a small garden area with Parking space in front of the hall for approx 12 vehicles.

The hall features a great clear space of 15 Mtrs x 9 Mtrs with a capacity of up to 100 people with 19 tables and 100 chairs. It has a Drop down screen with Projector, Audio visual equipment including Hearing loops.

The kitchen, which has a 3 metre serving hatch has a large electric oven, grill and hob, a Microwave Oven also an Urn plus 2 electric kettles, a Refrigerator and Crockery – limited supply of cups -70, saucers, mugs 21, plates, side plates, teapots, glasses and cutlery.

A small enclosed rear outdoor garden area is available and there is limited parking in front of the Hall, maximum of 12 parking spaces – subject to sensible parking and at owners risk. On road parking also is available immediately in front of the hall grounds. Booking Secretary is Cllr Elsa Tattersfield – contact 01462811607 or email [email protected]