Thorns supplies to “England’s oldest festival”

Thorns Group has joined the fun and pageantry at a stunning historic celebration that dates back to the 12^th century and offers everything from opera to pop, boats to ballet, and food to cricket!

The company, a leading supplier of furniture and catering equipment, has been signed up for Preston Guild, dubbed “England’s oldest festival in England’s youngest city”.

The celebration is held only once every 20 years, with events being staged throughout 2012 but reaching a crescendo during ten spectacular days, from August 31 to September 9.

Highlights have included a stunning Proms in the Park, featuring opera stars Jose Carreras and Katherine Jenkins; a dazzling Vintage Weekend with The Human League as headline act; an international reception; the ‘GFest’ music festival; a celebration of regional food and a ‘cultural Olympiad’; as well as countless processions, parties, exhibitions and informal displays. There’s even been a bicycle ballet, a boat festival and a T20 cricket tournament.

Thorns Group was called on to supply a vast range of equipment, including many hundreds of banqueting chairs, plus bistro furniture, picnic tables, outdoor furniture, bar equipment, china and glassware.

The items, which were transported from the group’s offices in Manchester and London, have been used across the festival’s various venues – whether providing seating inside the formal dining areas of Preston’s Guildhall or offering make-up mirrors in stars’ dressing rooms in the city’s Avenham Park.

Thorns Group Sales Executive Sally Fisher said: “With everything from opera to cricket – and even a miniature city made out of cake – Preston Guild has something for everyone! Thorns Group has a fantastic history of working at major events, festivals and celebrations across the country, so it’s great to have been on hand as such an historic and diverse gathering has taken place for the first time in two decades.”

Preston Guild’s origins can be traced back to 1179 and it is now believed to be the only event of its kind in the UK. Staged every 20 years, the latest celebration is the first of the new millennium and the first to be held since Preston was granted city status in 2002.

Chris Haylett, Preston Guild Festival 2012 Production Manager, said: “Working with Thorns has been great – a one-stop shop for all our furniture from picnic benches and parasols to over 2,000 seats.”

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Category: General Event Industry News