THE Launch night for the next Crediton Festival - CredFest 2017 - took place last Thursday, September 15 at the Council Chamber, Market Street, overlooking the Town Square.

More than 40 people attended representing many groups and organisations from the community alongside members of the Town Team who are responsible for staging the three-week long event.

CredFest director Rachel Vowles announced the dates of the festival as June 4 to 24 with plans for an opening event on Sunday, June 4 to coincide with a parade of the town flags and events to celebrate St Boniface ahead of the official Boniface celebrations on June 5, the actual feast day.

Also planned is a closing event on Saturday, June 24, which will be kicked off with a big family fun day in Newcombes Meadow, hosted by the Congregational Church, with music and festivities leading into the evening celebrations.

As well as all the fantastic community events covering art, music, dance, drama and sports that will be taking place, Rachel is planning an Open Air Cinema in Newcombes Meadow and a Silent Disco with live DJ’s in The Square.

“We really want to offer some new and exciting events for Crediton, things that haven’t happened here before,” said Rachel, who added: “there are many brilliant events that happen already but this year I am hoping that there will be something to appeal to every age group, like the silent disco and cinema - maybe with a blockbuster ’sing-a-long’ film.”

There is another meeting planned for Thursday, October 6 at 7pm in the Council Chamber where the theme will be "Events and Ideas" for groups and organisations to share their plans for their own events.

The meeting is open to anyone interested in CredFest.

If you would like to keep up-to-date with CredFest you can find details on "Facebook" "CredFest", on the website at: www.credfest.co.uk and by getting on the regular email newsletter by emailing your address to: [email protected] .

Alan Quick