Crowds at the Whittlesey Festival will be treated to the spectacular sound of all girls marching band, The Haverettes.

Crowds at the Whittlesey Festival will be treated to the spectacular sound of all girls marching band, The Haverettes.

The band is based in Havering on the Greater London and Essex border, and has members from across both these areas.

They are celebrating theirs 50th anniversary in 2015 and Whittlesey Festival organisers are delighted they have secured them for this year’s event on September 6.

They are a military style marching band who are well known in this country and in Europe having taken part in national parades in London and Europe including: Germany, Holland, Norway and Belgium as well as having performed at Disneyland Paris and across the USA.

The band is regularly involved in numerous events ranging from competitions, fetes, town shows and parades.

They have also been invited in recent years to take part in video shoots for music videos and have played at prestigious football grounds.

By way of background The Haverettes were formed in 1965 by Alf and Sylvia Smith due to their daughter, and other girls, only being allowed to follow behind a band in a ‘majorette’ fashion.

The decision was made to form an all girls marching band, which it still is today. From the humble beginnings of knowing and competing with just one tune the band now has an amazing routine and extensive repertoire.

Over the years the band has had a major impact at various levels in national competitions and regularly compete at the highest level in major TYMBA-run contests having been the first all girls marching band to be ‘Supreme National Champions’ in 2009 alongside being crowned National Class League Champions, and being undefeated for the entire year.

As well as The Haverettes the festival will once again be privileged to be joined by the Peterborough Highland Band filling the air with their unmistakable, powerful, poignant sound of pipes and drums.

The festival runs from 10am to 4pm starting with a parade from Whittlesey Christian Church in Broad Street and is truly a fun day out for all the family.

There are plenty of stalls, music, dance and lots of activities to keep you entertained and amused throughout the day. These are just a selection of things going on during the festival, there is so much more to do and see and we look forward to seeing you there.

If you would like more information about the Festival please contact Brian Smithyman on 01733 752093 or Jenny Parker on 01733 351005.