Bassaleg Food festival was organized by the Ruperra Arms and this free to visit event was held at the Bassaleg Community Centre and Field. The festival had over 30 stalls of fresh food and local beers and Welsh wine. Jill Davis from Swansea (pictured) displayed her hand decorated ceramics and homeware. The festival was founded by Ruperra Arms head chef Steve White and the Newport Folk Club and was held for the first time last year. The event also raised money for St David’s Hospice, with £25 per stall holder donated to the charity by the festival organizers.
Brandywine Cloggers gave an exuberant high energy performance of Appalachian clogging dancing to American bluegrass and old time music to entertain the crowds. Pictured (Left to Right) Jane Francombe, Carolyn Naylor, Rita Fellows, Angelica Sadler, Marolyn Carroll and Melanie Brewer.
Brandywine was formed in 1991. The group comprises of about a dozen dancers and four musicians. Appalachian Clogging is a traditional percussive step dance that developed in the Appalachian Mountains of the USA through many different influences. It is a lively, improvisatory dance that encompasses elements of English, Irish, African-American, and Native American foot-work and rhythms.
Group coordinator Carolyn Naylor said: “Recently ‘How to Stay Young,’ a two-part series for BBC One, reported that dancing is the best way to stay healthy. We can conform that!”
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