Wish you were here?

Andrea Calvesbert looks back on a season of flowers and festivals that made it well worth staying in Worcestershire this summer

Summer is ending and soon holidays by the sea will be a distant memory, but for anyone who spent the lazy hazy days around Worcestershire there were non-stop events and excitement.

Imagine this -- you are pottering around Worcester city centre with your shopping list, when suddenly you find yourself in the middle of a street theatre performance and passing close by the very long legs of a mediaeval stilt walker. Well, it actually happened in Worcester this summer!

Headlining the list of summer highlights in the county was August's Worcester Festival. Now in its fourth year, the festival featured an impressive line-up of more than 300 events, making it the biggest yet. There were things for all the family to see, do, watch and take part in throughout the centre of Worcester and other venues.

The Swan Theatre held popular circus skills workshops where juggling and clowning around were the order of the day. Exhibitions were all over the city and even a shopping trip could take on a fun feel with live music, dance and street theatre players bringing a smile to everyone's face.

There was great excitement and anticipation for such a varied line-up this year. Before the festival, director Chris Jaeger said: "This year, more than ever before, we've got the widest programme possible packed into two weeks. We've got over 300 events planned across the city, bringing music, drama, dance, art, history, horticulture and many other live events into the city centre. The Worcester Festival really is a fantastic opportunity for the city to come together and enjoy this holiday month and take part in one of the many and varied events on offer. I hope everyone has a wonderful time."

Elsewhere around the county there was plenty to enjoy, particularly with a family theme -- very important during the school holidays.

Particularly busy places were the Croome estate near Upton, which organised all kinds of things from bat walks to history and archaeology weekends.

A beer in Upton was a great idea during July when the dulcet tones of blues bands filled the warm evening air by the river during the town's blues festival, and the best part was it was all free. Hanbury Hall near Droitwich proved a great attraction with its family activity days, as did Wyre Forest Discovery Centre.

Add to this all the other big events too numerous to list and the volunteer-run village events ranging from fetes to car rallies and barbecues and what a fantastic summer it was for community fun and filling the county with happy, smiling faces.