Let the hattiness commence!
Wondering what’s on?
COMPETITIONS: The Bucky Doo-based public ‘fun’ hat competitions are best known, but there are other amazing comps around town… Up at Millennium Green we have the morning’s Best Hatted Dog comp – it’s completely barking – and the afternoon’s brand new ’Most Elegant Ensemble’ – a competition with a touch of class. They’re all free to enter!
MUSIC: As well as the youthful Pop Club stage in Bucky Doo we offer, at Millennium Green, folk music before lunch and a brass band in the afternoon. There’s more live music in the Bridport & West Dorset Club (afternoon) and the Ropemakers in the evening, along with, of course, our wonderful patron Hank Wangford, with his Lost Cowboys, playing the Arts Centre.
MILLENNIUM MADNESS: Up at the Green again we also have the Hat-Hurling Challenge, a cartoon artist, a psychic hat reader, refreshments, and more, and – new this year – the afternoon’s Mad Hatters’ Tea Party!
TRADERS: The Arts Centre hosts both the Hat Market and HatFest HQ (moved from its original spot in the Town Hall), while the Town Hall (above the TIC) has craft and charity stalls, plus the display of our Schoolchildrens’ Poster Competition entries.
TALKS: Bridport’s own Sue ‘Darling’ divulges ‘Confessions from a Hat Shop’ at 11am while we’re thrilled to welcome author Clair Hughes at 2.15 to speak on ‘Royal Hats, Uneasy Heads’. Both talks in the Bull Hotel Ballroom.
PERFORMANCE: Tucked just west of South St is Borough Gardens, where you can catch sets by Dynamic Dance, No Limits and musician Timothy Beckett.
AND of course… it’s the big one… the MASS HATTED PHOTO at 1pm!
That’s far from all… so for full details download your programme (and a map of the venues) from our website or pick up a printed copy in town.
(And feel free to share your best HatFest photos to our Facebook page – we’d love to see them.)