After 42 years, “Britain’s finest cabaret trio”, Fascinating Aida, finally made it to St Ives, closing the September Festival in front of a full house at St Ives Theatre.
Fascinating Aida on stage at the St Ives Theatre
Earlier on the last of 15 days of music and arts, there was a surprise bonus for visitors to the daily Norway Square open-air session. Festival patron and former Show Of Hands frontman Steve Knightley turned up to deliver a couple of songs, having headlined at the theatre the night before.
Fascinating Aida’s sell-out was the last in a number of fully-booked festival events, including Jacqui Dankworth at St Ives Jazz Club at the Western Hotel, Not The Beatles at St Ia Church, and West Country folk star Miranda Sykes and Cornish comedian Johnny Cowling at the Arts Club.
Steve Knightley, making a surprise appearance in Norway Square
Both of gardener Polly Carter’s Virginia Woolf garden talks and tours at the writer’s St Ives summer home, Talland House, sold out, as did John Dummer and Friends at the Crypt Gallery, and local historian Janet Axten’s Short History of St Ives Downalong Communities at Porthmeor Studios. There wasn’t a seat to be had either for Global Jamming’s Spirit of St Ives music and film show, also at Porthmeor Stdios.
Feedback to the festival team from visitors and locals indicates that this year’s event has ticked positive boxes on virtually all fronts.
Melanie Richardson of Boudica Rocks, who put their energy into the street entertainment on the opening day of the festival, messaged: “Such a fabulous festival. Thank you to everyone who made it so special.” Pensans Morris, who danced through the rain on the second Saturday afternoon, responded: “Another wonderful year of St Ives September Festival. Well done to everyone involved.”
