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LATEST NEWS
02/08/08 - ROTW merchandise and programmes available
If you missed the chance to buy your ROTW T shirt, caps and other merchandise on the Festival - don't despair!! We will be in the Market Square this Saturday, 2 August selling items and giving out ROTW 2008 programmes as souvenirs to help you remember this fantastic weekend! We’ve got some great end of line bargains and offers for anyone who did miss out! Just pop down between 10am and 2pm on Saturday, but be quick - stocks are limited!
15/07/08 - Hitchin came out in force!
Despite the intermittent rain, people came out in force to enjoy ROTW 2008. From the Arena with its dancers and tug-of-war to Billy Cobhan and No 1 Station on the main stage, the day was certainly one to remember.
12/07/08 - Less than 24 hours to go!!
Tickets are still available on the door. Gates open at 11am.
14/06/08 - Tickets and programmes now on sale!
Tickets for ROTW 2008 have now gone on sale - in local outlets as well as online. Check out our homepage for a full list of local ticket venues. Programmes are also available for just £2 from the following outlets:
Hitchin
CD Heaven - Churchyard
Club 85 - Whinbush Road
Drinkstop - Bancroft
Eric T Moore Books - Bridge Street
The Half Moon Pub - Queen Street
Harvest Moon - Bucklersbury
Hitchin Town Centre Initiative - Churchyard
Merryfields - Sun Street
Molly Malone's Pub - Nightingale Road
The Sunrunner Pub – Bancroft
The Victoria Pub, Ickleford Road
...and in Hitchin Market Place on Saturday, 5th July!
Letchworth
David's Music, Eastcheap
More outlets to be confirmed here soon!
11/02/08 - Rhythms of the World and Hitchin Priory Get in Tune to Launch 2008 Festival
Local venue steps up to host community celebration of world culture
Charity festival's venue and dates confirmed for Summer '08
The Trustees and Committee of Rhythms of the World (ROTW) and The Chartridge Conference Company today announce that ROTW 2008 will take place in the grounds of Hitchin Priory on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th July.
Matt Wyle, Chair of ROTW said: “This is brilliant news for the festival - Hitchin Priory is a great venue to continue the adventure that is Rhythms. We are hugely grateful to Thierry Viatge of the Chartridge Conference Company who has worked with us over the past few weeks to help ensure this summer's festival stays local to everyone who has enjoyed and supported the event over the past 16 years.”
Thierry Viatge, the new General Manager of Hitchin Priory said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to play our part in supporting ROTW and making the beautiful idea that is Rhythms a reality for 2008. Our sponsorship shows our commitment to the community of Hitchin – after all, the Priory has been a local focal point since the Middle Ages and what better setting than Priory Park to celebrate the best of local and world culture.”
"The challenge facing us over the next five months is to turn the dreams into reality," commented Adrian Knight, ROTW’s Event Licensee. "The Committee and our volunteers, the artists and our sponsors, and most importantly the community of Hitchin, have all made Rhythms such a beautiful, unique and successful event in the past. Everyone has the opportunity to play their part in helping Rhythms continue and flourish - whether by becoming a sponsor or volunteering to join our team for the weekend. For everyone on the Committee the hard work has already started. There is still a huge amount to do but we’re confident, given the overwhelming support of Hitchin’s community, that it can be done."
Subject to a being granted a Premises Licence, ROTW 2008 will run from midday until 11pm on the Saturday and from midday until 9pm on the Sunday. There will be performances of a worldwide range of music and dance across six stages, a children’s area, art displays and, for the very first time, a grass ‘Arena’ which local sporting and other community groups can use to both compete in and exhibit.
A summer fete in the heart of Hitchin!!
In October 2007 the Trustees took the decision that the event could no longer be held in Hitchin town centre as it was increasingly difficult to manage it spread across many venues. A number of local venues were investigated before the decision to hold ROTW 2008 at Hitchin Priory was taken.
For the first time there will be an admittance charge of approximately £5 per day. ROTW is still finalising the budget, but can assure everyone that the admittance charge will be kept as low as possible. Unfortunately, this is now the only way that ROTW can cover the ever increasing costs of running the festival and will also raise funds to support more community projects – something that has been an unfulfilled aim of the ROTW Charity for many years.
Rhythms of the World will be holding an Open Day in Hitchin Market Place on Saturday 23rd of February between 11.00 am to 3.00 pm where you can find out more about the plans for this summer’s event, the aims and objectives of the charity and how you can get involved and play your part in ensuring that ROTW 2008 is once again an event to make Hitchin proud.
Full ticketing information will be available after Easter on the website at www.rotw.org.uk
Rhythms of the World is organize entirely by volunteers from your community. Please show your support for all these people by following the Rhythms Code.
The Rhythms Code
1. Enjoy the unusual, each day of the festival
2. Respect the town of Hitchin for hosting the festival
3. Take personal responsibility for your rubbish
4. Do not bring glass with you into the town
5. Show your appreciation
6. Leave your car at home
