Festivals will bring a buzz to the city (From Worcester News)

Festivals will bring a buzz to the city

7:30am Tuesday 31st May 2011 in Local By Flora Drury, @floradruryWN #worcsnews

WORCESTER is getting ready to reap the rewards of a summer of festivals.

People will be spoilt for choice when it comes to activities and events to keep them entertained.

The annual Worcester Festival is being extended to incorporate the prestigious Three Choirs Festival while, a month before, the city will host the inaugural 10-day Worcester Literary Festival.

There will also be smaller festivals – such as the one-day Flower Festival or the week-long celebration of Douglas Adams – along with the Worcester Music Festival and cider and perry festival, which come under the banner of the Worcester Festival.

Rachael Mitchell, general manager of the Whitehouse Hotel and a member of Worcester Tourism Association, said: “Festivals are definitely great for business. We’ve got overseas guests who are coming specifically for the Three Choirs Festival.”

Michael Perry, chairman of the Three Choirs Festival, knows his festival is more than just a cultural event for Worcester.

He said: “The impact of the festival on Worcester’s life, profile and economy is both big and broadly based.

“The thousands of concert-goers who flock to our city for the world’s greatest festival of choral music fill our hotels and B&Bs, eat and drink in our pubs, restaurants and cafés and bring a real summer boost to our retail trading.”

Literary festival organiser Lisa Ventura said: “We’ve had enquiries and bookings from all over the country for our events in June.

“Many people will be travelling to Worcester specifically for the literary festival and we have even attracted international interest.”

But it’s not just about attracting people from outside the city. The Worcester Festival and its subsidiaries bring local people out into the city.

Worcester Live director Chris Jaegar said: “People want things to happen in their city and in times when people don’t have much money, I think that festivals generally do a fantastic job of raising the profile of the city and giving local people pride.

“Festivals are diverse and there is a huge range of things to do.”