A mad hatter’s weekend at Lindfield Arts Festival

The village buzzed with activity all day on Saturday despite mixed weather, and the same was the case on Sunday when clouds made it a little bit more dicey for organisers and performers.

Tables were laid with colourful tablecloths and balloons to create a scene of pure delight for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party on Saturday afternoon in the King Edward Hall.

Following on was an Old Skool Party for families and those who relished the chance to be children again, all tying in with this year’s festival theme of ‘imagination, fantasy and fairytale’.

Entitled ‘Stepping into Wonderland – Adventures in Art’, the festival’s aim was to encourage everyone to bring their inner child out to play.

For the first time this year, the festival also incorporated a film festival with a competition for filmmakers and screenings of documentaries by professional filmmakers.

One of the many highlights was the presence of Sandra Lean, widow of the late film director Sir David Lean.

Sandra was interviewed by Lindfield filmmaker and film festival organiser Mike Hacker, otherwise known as Hax, and the interview was followed by the showing of one of Lean’s greatest film, Lawrence of Arabia.

Festival director Gabrielle Hall was delighted with the way the whole event went over the two days.

Despite the threat of rain, blustery winds and below average spring temperatures, Gabrielle thanked all those who sponsored the many festival events, including Lindfield shops and businesses, and those who attended.

She said: “It was lovely to have Sandra Lean here and we are all very pleased with the turn out by the public to support us. The weather has been a little bit unpredictable but overall it hasn’t spoilt anything.

“As well as the ticketed events, we have tried to provide a lot of free events because we are conscious that in the current climate it is difficult to take a whole family out for the day.”

The festival ran in the URC building, in the King Edward Hall, at the Toll House Gallery, on the common and at many other smaller venues including shops, with SWALK in the High Street handing out tickets for each event.

The URC was the biggest and most sheltered venue and was vibrant with individuals performing and singing, choirs on the stage, films in upstairs’ room, craftmakers and a fine art gallery at the rear of the building.

Jazz played elsewhere, including the Toll House garden, with young and not so young rock performers blasting out their vocals on the Common on Sunday.

All in all, the fourth Lindfield Arts Festival was a huge success and a tribute to Gabrielle Hall, Mike Hacker and the 20-strong committee of village people who pulled all it many threads together for an inspiring weekend.

More from the festival in this week’s Mid Sussex Times out on Thursday