Anticipation is building and the final preparations are being made for Crosspool’s second festival, which starts on Saturday.
The week is packed with events for all the family. It includes a street market, art show
talent show, comedy night, craft, dancing, a fun run, a picnic, gardening events and of course the big Summer Fayre on Saturday 9 July.
Browse our Crosspool Festival 2011 page to read details of the events and download a copy of the programme so you can plan your week in full.
Craft Angels on Sandygate Road (0114 266 7339) is handling all ticket sales for this year’s festival.
In the latest in this series of occasional interviews with local residents, we meet local magician Dan Ellis.
How long have you lived in Crosspool and what do you like about it?
I’ve lived in Crosspool for my whole life which is 18 years. It close to everything that I need. School was only a five minute walk, grab a bit of lunch from the shops and its only 15 minutes on the bus away from the city centre.
How did you get into being a magician? Are you in the Magic Circle?
I get asked this a lot and my honest answer is I have no idea how I got into it. My granddad was a magician but he died when I was young and I don’t really remember him. I think most boys get a magic set for Christmas when their little and most of them grow out of it. I guess I didn’t! I am a member of the Sheffield Magic Circle.
What does this involve doing day to day?
Being a magician isn’t as glamorous as it might sound. Day to day I just meet people, make phone calls, send emails and letters to get myself more gigs. When I do perform I do mainly close-up magic which is the sort of stuff you might see the likes of David Blaine doing on TV. I do magic right under people’s noses so there are no boxes or glamorous assistants to hide behind; it’s just me having fun with my audience.
Has being an magician given you the opportunity to tour and travel?
I’ve done shows up and down the country but a majority of my work is local. It is yet to take me abroad but hopefully it won’t be too long. Magic is the sort that thing that come across well in any language so I hope it can take me all over the world in the future.
Crosspool magician Dan Ellis
What sort of performances to do do for events, parties or corporate dos? If people are interested in booking you, how can they get in touch?
Like I said I’m mainly a close-up magician meaning I do magic for small groups of people at parties, weddings and corporate events. I mix and mingle with guests and perform magic right under their noses.
Magic is a great ice breaker which is why I think corporate events and weddings are very good venues for it. Often there are groups of people who have never met before and my magic creates a talking point for people. It also helps create a great atmosphere which fits in with parties and weddings really well.
If people are interested in booking me they can check out my website which is www.citymagicians.com or give me a call on 07976 300898 and I’d be happy to chat even its just about what its like to be a magician.
If you could do one thing to make Crosspool better, what would it be?
I can’t really think if anything I would change in Crosspool apart from maybe having a magic shop here but that would probably put me out of a job if everyone could do it! I think that things like the Crosspool Festival and the summer fare are really great things for the community and I think that Crosspool should have more of these things.
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The prize winning cover designs are by Constanza Valdovinos, Lydgate Junior School [front] and Sahar-Lavendar Ali Ahmed, Lydgate Infant School [back]. The festival committee would like to thank all those who entered. Entries will be on display in St Columba’s.
The Farmers Market will be running again this year as part of Crosspool Festival. It is pencilled in for Sunday 3 July, once again on Selbourne Road. If you’d like to book a stall then email e.kehoe@hotmail.co.uk.
Meanwhile, early details of some more festival events have been added to the Crosspool Festival 2011 page, including An Evening with the BBC’s Richard Taylor Crosspool’s Got Talent, a family barn dance and Picnic in the Park.
Do you want to be part of the Crosspool Festival art show and have your work on display at St Columba’s church in July?
The organisers are appealing for artists who live in the Crosspool area or are involved in the Crosspool community to submit work for the show.
If you are interested in taking part, please contact Margaret Townrow on 0114 230 1098 or towniesrm@talktalk.net, or Judith Hanson on 0114 268 1505 or hasseandjudith@btinternet.com with your name and telephone number.
They will need details of your paintings by 11 June.
We’re pleased to confirm some details about Crosspool Summer Fayre, one of the highlights of our annual summer festival.
This year’s fayre takes place on Saturday 9 July, so do put the date in your diary. A range of activities are being planned for the afternoon, including:
Examples of the kind of thing they are looking for are people to get involved with include:
offering refreshments
selling tickets on the door
helping in the week running up to the event getting information out
helping with setting up and clearing away the street market
The only thing you need to get involved is a bit of enthusiasm!
If you think you might be able to help then please get in touch with chair of the Festival Committee Frances Eccleston on franceseccleston@live.co.uk.
Even if you can’t spare any time to volunteer, make sure you save some time in your diary to enjoy the festival from 2 to 10 July 2011. Events planned include a street market, open gardens, tours, walks and other evening events throughout the week.
Crosspool Festival will return in 2011 from 2 to 10 July.
Plenty of events are being planned for everyone in the community, so put the dates in your diary and watch this space for details of what is happening. There will also be opportunities to get involved.
One highlight that will definitely return as part of next summer’s festival is Crosspool Open Gardens, a money-raising charity event that sees members of the community open up their gardens for others to enjoy.
If you think that you may be interested in opening up your garden for the day then do get in touch with Roger Kite on 0114 230 6194.
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