Get set, Go! Celebrating Age Festival launches in Bristol

Bristol’s Celebrating Age Festival kicks off this Saturday 9 June with a launch extravaganza on College Green.

This year’s festival is helping people get into the Olympic spirit with the theme ‘Going for gold - older, wiser, fitter’.

Three former Olympians will be gathering on College Green at midday to lead the action: Vernon Samuels, Olympic triple jumper in 1988; Diane Seaman, javelin thrower in the 1952 Olympics; and Bob Fisher, who won the Paralympic Order of Merit at the Beijing Olympics.

Older people from across the city will march behind a knitted Olympic torch towards the centre of College Green for the opening ceremony. Taking inspiration from the former Olympians, visitors can get involved in a Zumba demonstration, or those with a more relaxed approach to the weekend can join a sing along with the Golden Oldies while enjoying a cuppa and a Celebrating Age Festival cupcake.

An action packed schedule of events follows over the next two weeks, from Saturday 9 to Saturday 23 June, at venues across the city.

Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, Glenise Morgan, said: “Keeping active as you get older is so important - it brings great benefits for both health and wellbeing. During the festival there are a fantastic range of activities for people to try, to suit different tastes and needs, from tai chi and Egyptian dancing, to guided walks and bowling. Other sessions include film screenings, painting and drawing, and computer classes. This is an opportunity to share information and opportunities for older people in Bristol. I do hope they will be inspired to take a look at what’s on offer and get involved.”

The festival will round off with a grand finale at Colston Hall on Saturday 23 June, with a host of entertainment on offer including Jamaican folk group Tan Teddy and local ukelele band The Kooky Ukes. There will also be IT taster sessions, flower arranging classes art exhibitions and much more.

Chair of the Festival Working Group, Marian Garland, said: “We are very excited about this year’s festival. Older people in Bristol want to feel valued, to be as independent as we can, to show positive values as older role models and to have fun! This festival shows we can do all this and more.”

To find out more about what is happening, go to www.bristol.gov.uk/celebratingage