Lowestoft Lions Gala Day
Nicolas Everitt Park at 9:00 AMWith thrills and laughter aplenty Lowestoft Lions promise a full programme of entertainment for visitors to their annual Gala Day in Oulton Broad.
The Lions’ main charity event of the year takes place on August Bank Monday (29th) and they have lined up what promises to be another action-packed day of fun for all the family at Nicholas Everitt Park.
More than 10 hours of entertainment is planned, with a programme that includes powerboat racing and the annual ‘maiden in distress’ raft-race out on the water and a host of attractions in the park.
Topping the bill at this year’s Gala is the Vander Wheel of Death, a nine metre steel structure that revolves around a central axis with an open-sided steel cage on each end. Two dare devil artists perform on the Double Wheel of Death and use their body momentum the get the wheel to spin faster which then allows them to do jumps and flips in the inside. For the finale, one performer then walks on the outside of the wheel - completely blindfolded!
Other attractions in the main arena include thrilling knockabout fun, comedy and crazy circus tricks from Dangerous Steve as well as the canine antics from the popular Waggy Tails Dog Agility Display Team and displays by the Totally Wicked School of Dance and Broadwing’s birds of prey.
There will be a full programme of supporting entertainment on stage including seventeen-year-old local singing star Jazmine Banks, the Lowestoft Signing Choir, the Oulton Broads harmony group and Country Music singer Sarah Underdown. A children’s area will feature games with the K-Syl-R Disco and Professor Jingles Punch and Judy show.
On the water there will be an opportunity to view a number of very different vessels. The annual Maiden in Distress competition will see hand built ‘boats’ struggling to stay afloat on the broad as they are paddled by their motley crews around a short course to ‘rescue’ a stranded damsel. This will be followed by all the thrills, spills, noise and excitement of racing from Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club including three races for the classic Albatross class.
A superb Suffolk based live band ‘Breeze’ will get the park rocking into the evening as they play a wide variety of musical styles from the 60s, 70s, 80s & 90s and the all-day entertainment will also include Larry Gray’s Funfair - as well as the usual wide range of stalls, food outlets and a beer tent
Lowestoft’s only public firework display of the year will be set off at 9pm from a pontoon on the Broads. The renowned Kimbolton Fireworks Company has created displays for some of the largest and most prestigious events. They will light up the sky in an explosive and colourful pyrotechnic spectacle. It will be a fitting way to bring the curtain down on the event and the Lions are confident that the day will also go off with a bang and they are hoping for a big turn-out to boost the sum that they raise for good causes.
The park opens at 9.00 am and admission to the event, including a free programme, is £6 for adults and £1 for children.
Anyone wanting further information should ring Trevor Waters on 01502 566270 or e-mail trevor.waters@btinternet.com