The Cookham Festival's most sought after tickets

The Cookham Festival is described as an "arts" festival.  It happens every two years and is hugely supported within the village and further afield.  Now it is true that there are lots of arts events in the program.  For example, there is both a poetry and a painting competition on the schedule.  However, it probably won't surprise you to know that I would struggle with the performance of The Hollow Crown (which apparently "relives the lives, loves and losses of the crowned heads of Great Britain") unless it was a bit like an in-the-flesh OK magazine of Royals - and I don't think it is.  So the things that appeal to me are less arts and more, what shall we say?  Populist?  So just in case you have not been through the schedule yet, I am going to share a few of my favourites.
The highlight of the program, which I booked tickets for the very MOMENT they were released, is obviously "An Evening with Grant Mitchell".  Sorry I mean "An Evening with Ross Kemp".  It is on Monday 15th May and starts at 7.30 pm.  The key thing to note about this event is that there are no allocated seats.  So, I will be treating it a bit like Wimbledon, and I will pitch my tent outside Pinder Hall the night before in order to guarantee my place in the front row.  Ross is going to tell us stories from his career and apparently, is taking questions.  Since I already know the answer to "Are you married" I am going to ask him if a little bit of wee-wee ever comes out when he is confronting a Colombian drugs baron carrying an AK47 or a North African dictator with a three-foot machete.  I am also going to go to "Come and Sing" at the Odney on May 14th.  It suggests you can participate regardless of your singing experience and it says pop, rock and show music.  They will be pleased to have me because I am a very experienced singer in my kitchen when I am cooking supper, with a broad repertoire of whatever shuffles on from the Sonos.  And I am particularly fabulous at a bit of Take That, which they are almost definitely bound to probably do for certain.  Then I am still considering the street dance classes.  Street dance is not new to me, I did several terms of it at Newlands School, but I am still slightly scarred from the experience.  I was the oldest by about 35 years, wore more clothes that all of the girls put together and of course no one wanted to pair up with me - but I will never forget the joy of getting the whole way through a choreographed Thriller routine without messing up.  Then someone suggested the Argentine Tango classes and I am very willing to consider that if I know Grant Mitchel is signed up too.  There are actually two things that I will go to that could potentially be considered high-brow.  The Sculpture Garden at The Odney is a special treat every festival for both for the works of art and the access to the lovely grounds.  And there is a guided walk of the village that links the new exhibition in the Spencer Gallery, to the locations of his painting throughout the village.  So if you have not yet picked up a program to decide what you will attend, I recommend you get cracking!!
For more information on the Cookham Festival click here or follow on the Facebook page here. 

Location: Cookham, UK

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