Photo from last year's Music Festival

This year it's this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 
Revel to Classical, Jazz, Rock and almost everything else!

The Royal Navy’s Type 23 Frigate HMS Kent is paying a four-day visit to Dartmouth in support of the town’s Music Festival and the Britannia Royal Naval College Open Day.

Arriving on Friday May 7 and opening her gangway on Saturday from 10am-5pm to any visitors who would like to learn a little more about life on the ocean wave. Boat transfers on board the Liberty Lass will run throughout the open to visitors period and those interested in going on board should just turn up at the town quay. And on Sunday, a number of Britannia cadets will also get the opportunity to step on board, before the ship departs on Monday May 10.

Powerful and versatile with the capability to operate anywhere in the world, the Type 23 frigate is the mainstay of the modern surface fleet. Originally designed for the principal task of anti-submarine warfare, they have evolved into multi-purpose ships with the capability to operate anywhere in the world. The effectiveness of these ships is enhanced by their stealth design, which reduces their radar signature significantly. In addition to warfare roles, these ships also conduct embargo operations using boarding teams inserted from the ship's boats or helicopter, disaster relief work and surveillance operations. The current HMS Kent is the twelfth ship to bear the name and her ship's company is very proud of the impressive 16 battle honours earned by her distinguished predecessors.

The ship was built by BAE Systems at Scotstoun on the Clyde and was launched in May 1998 by her sponsor, HRH Princess Alexandra. The 14th of 16 Type 23 'Duke' Class Frigates, HMS Kent was commissioned on 8 June 2000 and is based in Portsmouth.

2. Music at Bellini's

Friday evening 8:00 Mark Ely our local contemporary singer songwriter plays guitar and sings

Saturday lunchtime Martin Holland 1:00 - 3:00 our local trumpet player

Saturday evening a trio of piano players will play some cool jazz, funk and classical

Sunday evening 6:30 - 9:00 Koburn the well known piano and vocal duo play and sing all the timeless classics

Bellini's were covered in our 8 April news, click here to see this new bar that has opened in Hawley Road.

Remember that we featured the Music Festival events at Wildfire and Browns, click here to see them.  And also The Aronowitz Ensemble, click here to see them too?

3.   Antiques Roadshow

BBC One’s ever popular Sunday evening programme Antiques Roadshow will be filming for its 33rd series at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, on Friday, 18th June, 2010. The doors open at 9.30 am and close at 4.30pm. Entry is free.

This will be presenter Fiona Bruce’s third year with the Roadshow and she says, “Presenting the Antiques Roadshow is, for me, one of those rare and very lucky coincidences in television when you get to work on a show that you already love to watch. Exploring the human story behind every object is what makes Antiques Roadshow so fascinating. And everyone loves the agony and ecstasy of the 'what's it worth? moment. The Antiques Roadshow isn't just about antiques - it's history, beauty and drama all wrapped up in one.'

Some of Britain’s leading antiques and fine arts specialists will be on hand to offer free advice and valuations to visitors, who are invited to raid their attics and bring along their family heirlooms, household treasures and car boot bargains for inspection by the experts.

The last series, watched by an average of over six and half million viewers, included some intriguing objects such as a WW2 horse’s gas mask and a gallantry medal awarded to a pigeon. It also had some great Roadshow stories such as the bracelet found in the street which had belonged to Queen Victoria, a collection of 1930s posters bought for 50p in the 1970s and now worth over £30,000 and of course the first £100,000 plate seen on the Roadshow.

People with large pieces of furniture or other big items can send details and photographs of their objects to: Antiques Roadshow, BBC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR or e-mail them by clicking here .  It may be possible to arrange to look at the item in advance and organise transportation to the venue.

Series Editor Simon Shaw says: “The team are all looking forward to visiting such a splendid venue as Britannia Royal Naval College. It’s always exciting to see what will come to light on the day. We regularly see between 1500 and 2000 visitors on the day. Despite the high turnout everyone will get to see an expert.”

Visitors should note that there is no parking at the College but there will be shuttle buses from Townstal Road Park and Ride.

4.   Chicago  opens the Dartmouth Music Festival tonight !

Especially to open the Dartmouth Music Festival!  The winner of 6 Oscars the Musical  "Chicago"  with, Renee Zellwiger, Catherine Zeta Jones, Richard Gere and Queen Latifa

It's 1929 and all the world's a stage - at least that's how it feels to vaudeville star, Velma Kelley (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Velma and her sister are partners in a song and dance act managed by Velma's husband. When Velma finds her two-timing husband in the arms of her sister, the act comes to an abrupt end with the two lovers shot to death and Velma behind bars for their murders.

Films are screened at The Guildhall, Victoria Road. The Bar is open from 7.30pm.  Guest tickets are available on the night for £3.50 from The Windjammer Victoria Road between 7.30 & 7.55pm.  The Dartmouth dot TV crew will be there so it's your opportunity to buy us a beer!

5.   Small News

As featured in the last couple of weeks' news, Dartmouth's parish churches are hosting a number of events at this year's Dart Music Festival. On Friday at noon, Paul Morgan, who has been organist at Exeter Cathedral for 40 years, will be playing a programme including JS Bach's Fantasia in G, Felix Mendelssohn's Sonata No 4 and Leon Boellmann's Suite Gothique for the Roger Kempton Memorial Concert, while on Saturday at noon, regular parish organist Jonathan Watts will be playing a programme of British organ music including Elgar's great Organ Sonata in G.

In St Clement's Church on Saturday there is a Singing Workshop at 11.00am and at 3.00pm a performance by Devonly Voices, a community choir based in Totnes.

On Sunday in St Saviour's Church, the Festival Sung Eucharist at 11.00am will be led by The Revd Canon Kenneth Parry, former Precentor of Exeter Cathedral and will include the combined choirs of Dartmouth Parish, the Dart Valley U3A Singing Group and members of the Britannia Choral Society; and the Festival Choral Evensong at St Petrox Church at 6.30pm will be sung by Isca Voices, an ensemble of former girl choristers of Exeter Cathedral, who will give a short recital after the service. All these events are free with a retiring collection.

Why not come and visit Dartmouth?

• Self catering accommodation click here
   
• Dartmouth B and B  click here
   
• Dartmouth Hotels click here
   
• A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

Images copyright Dave Cawley, Harry Atkinson  & others.