Norwich’s Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART), who organised the festival in conjunction with venues across the city, have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for the festival which took place 10-23 February 2014, and the numbers attending the events.
HEART are currently evaluating the festival and its impact, and would like to get your thoughts on Norwich Dragon Festival 2014, to improve future festivals. If you didn’t manage to fill out a feedback form during the festival, please take a couple of minutes to fill out the online survey at http://bit.ly/DragonSurvey before 21st March – and be in with the chance of winning some dragon prizes! Or if you have a completed paper form, please drop it in to HEART, The Guildhall, Gaol Hill, Norwich, NR2 1JS.
Michael Loveday, CEO of HEART, said: “This has been the biggest and best Norwich Dragon Festival yet, and there’s been something for everyone, from craft activities and a dragon trail across the city, through heritage talks and lectures, to a smoke and fire-breathing dragon. The festival is just one way that HEART engages people with heritage, through the symbol of the dragon and its association with historic Norwich guilds.”
City centre businesses also got into the fiery spirit and let dragons take over their shops for Norwich Dragon Festival 2014, in an exciting competition which saw special dragon menus and shop-window displays across the city.
The winners were The Tannery (Royal Arcade) for best window display and YMCA Norfolk – Stepping Stones Café for best dragon menu, and both businesses win places on the Norwich Ambassador Scheme for up to 15 members of staff (worth up to £750).
The Tannery’s window included a handmade knight, a dragon’s eye peering through a window frame, a story about a dragon and a tanner (set in Norwich), and even a dragon made out of handbags and leather gloves. Stepping Stones Café won the best menu with their creative medieval-inspired ‘dragon’ menu.
The Norwich Dragon Festival was organised by Norwich’s Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART), with support from Norwich Business Improvement District (BID), The Forum and the Norwich Town Close Estate Charity, and included a wide range of events themed around dragons, to promote heritage to a broad audience during the post-Christmas depths of winter.
To see images from the festival visit www.heritagecity.org/dragonfestival.
Cantor’s Theatre School
