Entries are now open for the 2021 Wychavon Festival of Brass entertainment contest.

At present the optimistic organisers are working hard towards being able to host the event in the traditional manner with bands in each section of competition returning to the contesting stage in Evesham on Saturday 30th October.

Looking forward

A spokesperson told 4BR: "We are looking towards the future knowing that there are many dark days ahead of us but in the hope that by the autumn, we will find that the pandemic is in retreat and under control.

It has been the recent rapid roll out of the vaccine that has encouraged us to do this with realistic optimism and believe bands need something to look forward to.

The Wychavon Festival has always been an event with a warm welcome and joyful sociability, and we hope our approach at this early date might act as a beacon of hope for bands."

Confidence

They added: "We have been encouraged by the number of bands that chose to stay with us, rolling over from 2020, and want to do our best to match their confidence in us in staging another successful event after this most difficult time."

We also know that the contest will only go ahead if we can satisfy prevailing government regulations and strictures — and that will be the underlying foundation on which any decision will be madeWFB

Safety concerns

The organisers told 4BR that they are very aware that every effort will have to be made with health and safety concerns.

"We recognise the difficulties that bands have had over the last year and want to encourage them to join us and want to ensure that they are able to gain something from entering — especially if it comes at a time when restrictions to also allow rehearsals also occurs.

We also know that the contest will only go ahead if we can satisfy prevailing government regulations and strictures — and that will be the underlying foundation on which any decision will be made."

Entry forms:

Entry forms (postal and online) are available through the Wychavon Festival of Brass website, together with information about prizes, contest rules etc: www.festivalofbrass.co.uk