Leamington Peace Festival

Leamington Spa's Peace Festival has been running for the last 32 years.  It's free and has plenty of stalls and two stages for live music.  It is spread over two days and on Saturday Clare and I happened upon it by chance.

Saturday, we had planned on a day of shopping and milling about but when we arrived we came across the festival setting up in The Pump Room Gardens. 

We wandered around the shops and picked up some bits n pieces. I managed to buy the Franz Ferdinand Covers vinyl that I didn't get on Record Store Day and we stopped off at Delicious by FT for a bite to eat.  The food was fine but the homemade lemonade not only looked fantastic but tasted great as well.  If only the weather justified such a lovely drink!

Having finished the shopping we headed to the festival (by passing the record fayre).  We wandered around the stalls looking for stuff that might come handy at End Of The Road, whilst keeping an eye on the main  stage. 

The band playing were called The Powderblue Band who were pretty good.  We also caught some of TenSheds on the bandstand. Another good band. 

Other acts throughout the weekend included Rory McLeod and Attila The Stock Broker.  Guest speakers and workshops are also on offer.  The strangest thing I saw other than the Hunt Saboteur Stand was Gong Massage.  You lean with your back against the gong and some one plays it up and down your back for ten minutes! Very relaxing apparently.  Having toyed with and then dismissed buying a poncho we left. I still can't believe I'd not heard of it before but we will be going back next year.

You can find their website below along with Tensheds and The Powderblue Band's sites.

http://www.peacefestival.org.uk/

http://www.thepowderblueband.co.uk/

http://www.tensheds.com/

Sunday and we headed to Blakesley Hall for their Falconry Day.  It was quite busy and we arrived after the first display had started so we opted for the cafe instead.  Eventually we wandered over to catch the end of the display.  We arrived as the crowd was being introduced to Scratchy a hybrid Falcoln (part Gyr part Sekar),  The plan was that Scratchy would fly off and catch his food (attached to a lure) in the air.  As it happened and soon as Scratchy was airborne he was attacked by three gulls and a crow and so flew off behind the house and just kept going!  No amount of calling or whistling could get him back! Luckily he had a radio tag on so his handler could track him for up to 5 miles.  It wasn't long before the signal disappeared altogether. 

The shows continued and we were introduced to an Eagle, Perrigrine hybrid, a couple of owls and a Kestrel but I kept wondering about Scratchy.  We went home not knowing if he had been lost forever. 

Clare mailed the Falconry Centre the following day and apparently Scratchy had been found at 7pm the same evening 2 miles away. All's well that ends well.

The birds came from The Falconry Centre in Hagley.  When we get the chance we are going to visit properly and if possible do one of their handling experience days.

http://www.thefalconrycentre.co.uk/