‘This is really how it should be,’ said Jester Jean, while taking a quick break from his two-hour act. ‘It’s great here today, I think the festival is awesome. It’s a great opportunity for local artists – especially for juggling. There’s not many of us around, not openly anyway, others just don’t seem to do it. I was excited to be asked to join in today, and hopefully I’m bringing some smiles to people’s faces.’
Dixie Mix, one of the UK’s top traditional jazz ensembles from Norwich, put the festival in full swing at the market’s celebration. Trumpeter Simon Nelson said he was excited to bring his 20-year-old band back to the event for the third year running.
‘We love it here,’ he said.
‘It’s great to be back, to see some great friends and perform with such a great reception here. We’ve built some really good connections in the island over the years – and haven’t been kicked off it yet.
‘It’s got a great vibe in the Square this year – when it was a bit quiet in this area when we were here last year. We’re really happy to see it busy like this, hopefully that continues throughout the week.’
As well as performing at various zones throughout the week, the quartet are set to perform at The Rocquettes Hotel tonight, and at the Old Government House Hotel on Friday evening.
With over 100 local performers on the festival’s roster, talent coordinator Lydia Sullivan-Pugh said this year’s shorter run would be packed with entertainment.
‘It’s our sixth year and it’s going to be a vibrant one, which is what the festival is all about,’ she said.
‘We’re adding some vibrancy to town, while offering a chance for artists to perform live and build their skills and confidence. I performed back when it was the Town Carnival when I was fresh out of uni. And that’s why I took it on as a coordinator, along with a few other regular performers, when it was due to fold – because we just didn’t want it to stop. Just look at how much life it adds, how happy and jolly everyone is.
‘We’ve got people in costume, people in dance, a full variety of acts. It’s such an important event. It brings people into town and to the island. There are people I meet every year, who literally book to come over to the island for the festival. They sit at the same table at Dix Neuf each year, and enjoy the live music.’
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