July 11, 2016 12.30 pm This story is over 91 months old

Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival expected to draw 20,000-strong crowd

The annual Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival returns this coming weekend (July 16-17), with organisers expecting up to 20,000 visitors. Now in its fifth year, the event celebrates the best of life on the British home front. As well as a timetable of parties, activities, re-enactments and performances, there will also be a new park and…

The annual Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival returns this coming weekend (July 16-17), with organisers expecting up to 20,000 visitors.

Now in its fifth year, the event celebrates the best of life on the British home front.

As well as a timetable of parties, activities, re-enactments and performances, there will also be a new park and ride service.

A number of road closures are in place to ensure the festival runs as safe and stress-free as possible.

Chair of the organising committee Andy Hunter said: “We are very excited that we are now just days away from welcoming so many visitors to our festival.

“We’ve worked very hard since last year’s event to put a new delivery plan in place to better manage the influx of traffic and the flow of pedestrians around the village to ensure the weekend is safe, enjoyable, accessible and memorable.”

Photo: Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival

Events

Once visitors arrive in Woodhall Spa they can expect to find a full range of fun and interesting things to do.

Event highlights from the “What’s On” guide include:

  • Opening Remembrance Service – St Andrew’s Church Yard, 10am, Saturday
  • Free Children’s Party – The Golf Hotel, 11am, Saturday (dressing up encouraged and donations welcome)
  • Airborne Assault Battle Re-enactment – The Petwood, 1pm, Saturday
  • The Eagle Has Landed re-enactment – The Golf Hotel, 3pm, Saturday
  • 40s Dance Class with the Blitz Dancers – The Golf Hotel, 8pm, Saturday
  • Major Swing drop-in dance class – 11am, Coronation Hall, Sunday
  • Woodhall’s Fallen Exhibition – St Peter’s Hall, 10am-5pm, both days
  • Soldier’s Wooded Encampment – The woods along Coronation Road, all day, both days
  • Fly over by the BBMF during the afternoon of both days (subject to weather and aircraft availability)
  • Soldier’s Wooded Encampment – The woods along Coronation Road, all day, both days
  • Fly over by the BBMF during the afternoon of both days (subject to weather and aircraft availability)

The weekend will also feature an extensive list of high profile and local 1940s performers at venues throughout the village, including: Lola Lamour, Heather-Marie, Sarah-Jane, Major Swing and the Blitz dancers and more.

Heather-Maire will be performing at the festival alongside other 1940s-style acts.

Heather-Marie will be performing at the festival alongside other 1940s-style acts.

Traffic arrangements

For this year’s Festival, Station Road and part of the Broadway will be closed to allow visitors to walk on the road without worry.

The closure will be from the mini-roundabout to Iddesleigh Road between 9am and 5pm on both festival days. Traffic that would usually travel along Station Road/Broadway will be diverted along Iddesleigh Road, Stanhope Avenue, Victoria Avenue and Tattershall Road.

Temporary restrictions and alternatives include:

  • No Waiting/No Loading along Tattershall Road between the mini-roundabout up to the Abbey Lodge
  • No Waiting/No Loading restrictions along both sides of Witham Road from the mini-roundabout to Alexandra Road, and the south side of Witham Road only from Alexandra Road to Kirkstead Bridge
  • No Waiting/No Loading along Stixwould Road between the mini-roundabout up to the Village Limits
  • No Waiting/No Loading along all of Green Lane
  • No Waiting/No Loading on the Broadway from Iddesleigh Road to just past the Golf Hotel
  • A one-way system on Green Lane in the direction of Mill Lane to Stixwould Road
  • The bus stop on Broadway outside The Inn will move to Tattershall Road

Parking

To minimise impact on the residents of Woodhall Spa, there will be no parking in the village during festival hours (9am-5pm).

Visitors to the Festival will be directed to the two main car parks on Green Lane and Horncastle Road.

Blue Badge holders can park at St Hugh’s School in the centre of the village or St Andrew’s School near Jubilee Park which is a hub of festival activity.

Parking costs £5 per car for hassle-free all-day parking, with a shuttle service from the Green Lane car park and a copy of the Festival newspaper and show guide.

Residents have been informed of the restrictions and offered alternative parking arrangements, where possible.

For full details visit the website.