VIDEO: Festival launches with a bang
The Bury St Edmunds Festival 2010 launched with a bang - literally - last night as revellers packed the Abbey Gardens for the first event of the season.
The annual two-week arts extravaganza, now in its 25th year, was kicked off with a triumphant gig in the town's picturesque Abbey Gardens.
Thousands packed the venue for a Madness and Queen tribute acts gig, which culminated in a spectacular fireworks display to signal the start of what it is hoped will be another successful festival.
The Abbey Gardens gigs are normally held on successive nights on the last weekend of the festival, but in a break from the norm are being held once a week this year. In another departure from festival form of recent years, the Beating Retreat which usually opens the event is this year being held on the last weekend, to close the festival.
At last night's gig, audience members packed the Abbey Gardens, many with picnics and their own refreshments, for what was a thoroughly entertaining performance from two polished acts. By the end of the night, most people were up on their feet dancing to the rousing sounds of Queen.
Festival manager Nick Wells said: "We had a near capacity audience of 2,500 people. Although we could have squeezed a few more in, it was really busy from my point of view."
- For a full report and reviews of many festival events, see the Bury Free Press on Friday.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -2 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 0 C
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Wind direction: South east
