Many thanks to Cooperative Membership Community Fund for their recent support of the Lafrowda workshop programme. Their help made possible schools and community workshops from flamenco dressmaking to tango cantina, magic to storytelling! Gracias!

Viva Lafrowda! Muchas Gracias to all Lafrowda friends for a fantastic festival – everyone who gave, did, made and supported in any way, it would be impossible to achieve without you. Un gran abrazo, a big hug, to the people of St Just!

All suggestions, feedback and comments, good and bad, not to mention suggested theme for next year welcome.

Please post comments in box in library and newsagent, or visit the website www.lafrowda-festival.co.uk.

Lafrowda 2010 is well underway, as you will see from the town, adorned with bunting, banners and knickers (look out for more bloomers coming soon!)!

The first week has seen a fantastic range of events, from magical mysticism to sexy salsa! In fact dancing is proving to be massively popular this year, in many forms from flamenco to ballroom. Last night was the ultimate Lafrowda dance experience with ‘Drekly Come Dancing meets Lets Dance for Lafrowda’. A heaving school hall witnessed a fantastic show of fancy footwork! Five couples impressed everyone with their ballroom expertise while community groups performed their takes on famous tunes. Many thanks to EVERYONE who took part – the event was the result of months of hard work and practice. And many thanks to everyone who came and made it such a memorable evening.

In fact thanks for supporting all the events and workshops so far -it’s great to see so many people, new friends and old, getting involved.

There’s no let up over the next week: Tomorrow, Monday 12th, there’s a treat for the children with Squashbox Theatre performing The Sea Show (a lively puppet show) at St Just Primary School at 3pm. In the evening you can enjoy Pendeen Silver Band in Market Square at 7pm or Line Dancing at the British Legion from 7.30pm. And don’t forget that the now legendary (infamous?) stand up comedy night, Laff Lowder, takes place at the Star Inn on Tuesday 13th at 8pm.

The Lafrowda Trail will be taking shape over the next day or so – you may already have noticed some strange sights appearing around the town. This year there is an orienteering element to the trail – full details will appear on the website soon.

A Sunday afternoon would not be a successful Sunday afternoon unless a flamenco dress had been created, and so, of course, forty people with polka dots on their mind converged on the WI hall in St Just this afternoon and with the enthusiastic and patient help of Sarah Hulme some really delightful Flamenco outfits were made for the Flamenco dancing workshop (Sat 10th July at 2pm, The Nancherrow Centre), for swishing about Lafrowda Day, and for general party wear. So, if you see a gorgeous girl, from five years to 80, on Lafrowda Day, you can be sure she has been Lafrowda Flamencoed.

Local artist and friend of Lafrowda Tom Henderson Smith is once again offering a fantastic piece for auction this year. The featured work this year is a painting of the Old Glory Creole Jazz Band leading the lantern procession.

For full details click here: Lafrowda Art Benefit Auction

There’ll be even more drama than usual in St Just throughout June as Lafrowda presents its inaugural cinema season:

Thursday June 3rd

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid (pg)
Cinema Lafrowda Season kicks off with everyone’s favourite Western,

Thursday 10th June

Sexy Beast (18)
with Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone. Jewel thief Gal is called back from his Spanish hideout for one last heist….

Thursday 17th June

Like Water for Chocolate (15)
Food and Passion in Mexico

Thursday 24th June

Viva Las Vegas (U)
Elvis-Tastic!

Sat 3rd July at 2.30 pm

Season Finale: School Shorts Followed by Pom Poko (U)

All screenings (except the season finale) begin at 8pm, doors open at 7.30pm, St Just WI Hall

£3 each or £10 for the whole season of 5 films – so no need to rob a bank.

Snacks, refreshments and a bar available.

Bring a cushion for the wooden seats!

Cinema Lafrowda is proudly Sponsored By Spider Eye

Lafrowda is putting together a processional town band for festival day parades.
Instruments and tuition provided, NO experience necessary.
All are welcome, young and old of any musical ability.
5-6pm Rec. (Drill) hall, St Just Sunday 23rd May
…y juego con la pasion de toreros! (and play with the passion of bullfighters!)
Refreshments and fun provided.

The Battle of the bands was a great night. Well done to all bands who took part – you were great. Congrats to winners Shade of Red and Blind Belief – see you in July. Thanks to Dare Mason, Tracey Story and Jimmy Jewell for judging, and The VIP Lounge, Mounts Bay Music, and Penwith Radio for their support. Thanks also to iPony for their great guest appearance and most of all to everyone who came along to watch. Cheers

Battle of the Bands takes place this Saturday 8th May.

Where? Nancherrow Centre, St Just

What time? 6.30pm (first band 7.00pm)

What’s going on? 8 bands will all be playing for great prizes.
A panel of independent judges will choose 2 bands to appear at this year’s Lafrowda Festival and also Party in the Park.

Winner of the U19 category will record a track at the VIP Lounge studio, the U16 winner will get a gift voucher from Mounts Bay Music, and both winners will get a CD of their set and play a live session on Penwith Radio – PHEW!!

Oh, and did I mention that iPony will be making a special guest appearance to round off the night?

How much? Entry is a mere £2.00 – all ages welcome.

See you there.

We’ve been working hard here putting together the music line-up for this year’s fest, but looking at the results we think it was worth it. As usual the line-up brings some of the best music Cornwall has to offer to St Just, and takes in a whole range of genres, from folk to funk, electronic to punk, with many a diversion between!

Also as usual, we regret that we cannot put on everyone who would like to play. Massive thanks to everyone who has contacted us this year about playing – sorry if you are not on the bill, keep up the good work!

So, below is the line-up for this year! Running order and stage times will appear on the site soon.

Watch out for news soon of this year’s street entertainments and workshops programme.

Friday 16th July 2010 – Lafrowda Eve

Market Square Stage

Hardtime Millionnaires (NOTE: change to programme)

Freshly Squeezed

Saturday 17th July 2010 – Lafrowda Day

Market Square Stage (in alphabetical order)

Cape Cornwall Singers

Kabasa

Penzance Youth String Orchestra with Dala Violinister

Sarah McQuaid

Shindig

The Clive Palmer Band

Tom Dale

Plus:
Salsa dancing and performances from St Just Primary School and Cape Cornwall School

Plen-an-Gwarry – The Butterfield Stage (in alphabetical order)

Battle of the Band winners

Death By Science

Ethatone

Gregor and the Martians

iPony

The Black Tambourines

The Underbelly

Plus:
Lafrowda Djs during the afternoon