Dunraven Bay Hosts Pop-Up Events
The Vale of Glamorgan’s Dunraven Bay, Southerndown, has played host to a range of pop-up events recently, including a mix of hands-on craft activities and an open-air cinema weekend.
The Crafts on the Coast Festival took place on September 04, and saw an estimated 600 visitors arrive throughout the day, enjoying plenty of rural craft displays, mini workshops, and the opportunity to buy crafts made locally – including Willow products, stained glass and up-cycled textiles. With promises of ‘fan birds’ made from only one piece of wood, the creative and inquisitive visitor was not disappointed.
Visitors were then able to get stuck-in as three workshops per day were run from 06-09 September, and focused on willow-weaving, stained-glass, creative writing, textiles and driftwood art.
Friday September 16 then saw the atmospheric walk through Dunraven Gardens lead to a large cinema screen, as the open-air cinema weekend commenced with a screening of cult-classic, The Lost Boys. The coast’s setting sun leant itself well to the vampiric flick as viewers visited the bar, and surrounding stalls, to get themselves a cocktail and some tacos before the film started.
The heritage coast has historic links to pirates, and Saturday evening brought a treasure-filled treat of a film in The Goonies. As the crowd waited for the young adventurers to take them to the treasure cove, visitors were able to play pop-up crazy golf.
These pop-up events are part of a launched pilot scheme by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Creative Rural Communities team, which aims to give businesses the opportunity to trial events at Dunraven Bay, with Rural Development Funding giving assistance with planning, marketing and other logistical arrangements.
Next up, October awaits the arrival of the Slow Food Fest and the Autumn Garden Festival of food and Drink, both of which should appeal to all foodies out there. On 08 October, people can go to taste, learn, watch, smell, share, listen, drink and explore at the Slow Food Fest. With artisan food and drink producers present to give food talks and cooking demos, anyone with a love of food should go along. The event is open between 10.00 am – 4.00 pm, and brings good food and people together.
The Autumn Garden Festival of Food and Drink then arrives on 15 October, and showcases local, small-scale independent producers of food and drink to a backdrop of music and art from local musicians/artists. This is open between 12.00pm – 9.00pm at Dunraven Bay.
Deputy Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Education, Cllr. Lis Burnett, said: “Owing to the increasing popularity of pop-up events across other coastal and urban environments, it made sense for us to launch our event pop-up pilot under the Coastal Communities initiative.
“It has not only provided local businesses with a fantastic opportunity to trial events, but has made the most of the unique setting at Dunraven Bay on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. I look forward to visiting the remaining Saturday events in October.”
Creative Rural Communities is a regeneration and economic development initiative led by the Vale of Glamorgan Council in partnership with various public, private and voluntary sector organisations. The project is funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2014-2020 by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
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