Category Archives: Festival

Fundraising

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The Brinklow festival has been raising funds for community groups since it’s inauguration in 2015. As a biennial event over £35,000 has been raised for community groups and facilities. 

The festival is run by villagers on a voluntary basis with invaluable support from many community groups that has made the event such as success. Community Groups involved include the Scouts, WI, St John’s Church, URC Church, Parish Council, Village Lengthsmen, Youth Club and Brinklow FC. 

Our festival aims are to organise a fun and safe event suitable for all raising funds that provide grants to support village life. 

In 2019 over £11,000 was given to community groups to support the development of village life and ongoing maintenance of key village facilities. Funding is determined by the event committee following application from groups. 

Successful grants were awarded to; St Johns Church (window restoration), Scouts, URC Church (Porch Roof), Village Hall, OAP Christmas Lunch, Lengthsmen (equipment), Parish Council (community safety project) and Youth Club. Additionally smaller grants were given to community groups that assisted and also attended the event. 

Your support of the event in previous years has significantly supported life in Brinklow and beyond. 

Community Hall

Community Hall

The Brinklow Community Hall is a meeting point for many groups and organisations in the village.

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St John’s Church

St John’s Church

St John's Church Brinklow is a 13th century stone building that received a grant to support it's ongoing restoration.

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Brinkow 1st Scouts

Brinkow 1st Scouts

The 44th Coventry (1st Brinklow) scouts have over 50 members meeting weekly in their own scout HQ located behind the village hall. Boys and Girls from all the scouting sections…

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Information

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We welcome all visitors to the festival locally and from further afield and hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit. We know that many people come back year after year. 

Our aim is to try to provide something for all ages and make the festival accessible as possible for all. 

We also value the support of lots of community groups, charities, businesses and produces in attending the festival and helping in so many ways. 

To help planning, get involved and make your visit as enjoyable as possible we have put together all that you will hopefully need to know here. 

To contact us email: brinklowfestival@gmail.com. We will come back to you as quickly as possible but we are all volunteers, so please be patient. 

Scarecrow Trail Entry

Scarecrow Trail Entry

Our 100+ trail is throughout the village from 26th August to 2nd September. Lots of creative displays

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Stall Holders

Stall Holders

Over 40 stalls each day selling products and promoting local craft producers, charities and businesses.

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Commercial

Commercial

We welcome business providing event service including food & drink, rides and activities.

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Volunteer

Volunteer

Volunteering information and signup form for local residents to support the festival.

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Frequently asked questions & Useful information

Entry to the trail and festival is free of charge!! 

On the festival days we ask that all visitors use the official car parking. This costs £5 or £7 including a programme. Parking is payable on entry on the day.

We also have raffle tickets for sale. 

For the festival days we ask ALL visitors to use the official car park which is sign posted off Rugby Road. The post code is CV23 0LY – What three words: //Racetrack Stops Grass 

Parking is £5 per car for the day or £7 to park including a programme. We accept cash and for 2022 now card. 

IMPORTANT:

Categorically no smoking in the field due to the current dry weather. 

The car park is in a farmers field so can be bumpy in places. We will prioritise low cars to reserved flat space. Please drive slowly and follow the marshals instructions.

Wheel chair users and pushchairs may find the ground rough, please talk to the marshall at the car park entrance who will be able to assist. 

All drivers and persons entering the field do so at their own risk. We accept no responsibility for damage or accidents. 

We respectfully ask ALL visitors to use the official festival car park as the village gets extremely busy during the festival and we wish for residents to still have access to their homes and business. 
For any individuals not parking in the official festival parking field, please ensure that you do not block any driveways, paths or points of access. Police and parking enforcement will visit the festival.
Please also support the festival by purchasing a programme and making a donation in lieu of parking in the festival information point on the main festival field.

Our disabled parking is very limited and on a first come first served basis.

Disabled parking can be found in the village car park at the end of Barr Lane next to the doctors surgery.

On Saturday morning until 1pm disabled parking spaces will be reduced due to the Doctors being open.   

Only visitors with Blue Badges will be able to use this area. We also request where possible to use this as drop off and collection point.

Brinklow has a bus service linking the village with Coventry and Rugby. The 85 is operated by National Express Coventry. 

Monday to Saturday the service runs hourly and every other hour on Sundays. 

The bus timetable can be seen HERE

Most of the activities and stalls are cash only – including parking. There is NO cash machine in the village, however you may use the village post office on Saturday morning. The nearest cash machine is at either Tesco on Clifford Bridge Road or Morrisons Binley, both on the edge of Coventry. 

Dogs and Pets are welcome, but must be kept on a lead throughout the village and on the festival field. Please also clean up after your dog, there are lots of bins dotted around the village. 

The festival will run from 10.30 am to 6pm on each day.

A full timetable will made available prior to the event.

Programmes will be available to purchase in the car park or at the information tent on the main field. Programmes cost £3 or as part of a parking combination of £7. 

Food & Drink will be available at many points throughout the village and a wide range on the festival field. Refreshments are available in St Johns Church, URC and Scout Hut. 

Please don’t forget to support our excellent three pubs, deli, post office, chip shop or chinese takeaway

Space is now full for 2022. We have lots of exhibitors selling goods and crafts as well as community fund raising groups. 

We will have a festival information tent (marked with a green flag) on the main field which will be manned at all times. The team will be able to answer any questions and provide support. 

Trained first aiders will be available from the festival information tent on the main field. The White Lion Inn also have first aiders. 

Portable toilets are on the event field and also one at the top of Heath Lane. 

There are disabled accessible toilets in the village hall and also St Johns Church and URC hall. The Scout Hut also has toilets. 

Drones are strictly prohibited during the times that the festival is taking place. 

Sorry BBQs are not permitted on the event field or car park. 

In the event of rain, we still expect the event to go ahead, but ask that visitors dress accordingly as the event is mostly outside. 

Should the weather be severe and the event be cancelled, this will be announced on social media. 

Entertainment

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Entertainment and activities all festival long.

Throughout the village there is entertainment and activities for all ages. 

Our main village field hosts live bands and acts, inflatable, fair rides, 40+ stalls and activities. Also on our main field that you will find food, drink and refreshments. Our popular dog and car shows take place on the field. 

Across the village our churches host activities, food and drink as well as our village hall and scout hut. 

Brinklow’s three pubs will be open for food and drink. Each will be running their own range of live entertainment and activities. Also don’t forget to visit the village, shop and take-aways.

Scarecrow Trail

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For the first time in 2022 our scarecrow trail will run for a full week from the evening of Friday 26th August to Friday 2nd September.

The trail stretches across the village and is expected to include over 80 displays. Displays are varied and often have sound, effects and even a few surprises! We’ve included some pictures from previous years below and separate pages from previous years.

Please support the village and charities by picking up a map from the Village Store throughout the trail week. During the festival days programmes can be purchased from the information tent for £3 or as part of the car parking package. The trail is flat and suitable for all ages, although please be careful of traffic and respectful that the scarecrows are all on private property.  

The Brinklow villagers’ creativity is becoming legendary with something for everyone. The competition for scarecrow competition categories is strong.

Visitors can also enter scarecrows into the ‘guest field’ by booking their place in advance.

To take part in the scarecrow trail and competition, please download and complete an application form from the link above or from the Village Store or from info@brinklowfest.co.uk. Entries cost £2 and close on 20th August.

Prizes are £50, £30, £20 and a people’s choice award of £30. 

Judging will take place on Saturday 27th August and announced at 5pm on Saturday. A people’s choice vote taking place during the festival and will be announced on 2nd September. To vote please TEXT the winning scarecrow number to 07934 596667 (this number does not take calls).