Proms in the Paddock

This time last year, along with my then six-year-old son Sam, and   a thousand or so other Lewesians, I headed to the Paddock field curious to find out what Proms in the Paddock was all about. It turned out to be a fundraiser for two well established local institutions, Commercial Square Bonfire Society (CSBS) and local brass band LGB Brass. It also turned out to be a fantastic evening with enough music, food and drink to keep the adults amused, whilst the chance to charge around the park at high speed for a couple of hours seemed too good an opportunity for most of the kids to miss. The more organised were also armed with picnics, rugs and deckchairs. The evening ended with a glorious firework display set off by the CSBC team in time to coincide with a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture. It’s fair to say that even a couple of rogue showers couldn’t dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm. With a good weather forecast for the weekend, this year the organisers are predicting an even bigger turnout.

The evening will be split into three performances. Firstly LGB Brass and then the visiting Friary Guilford band will perform individually, showcasing a variety of tunes from military anthems through to West End show tunes. The bands then join together for the final performance, which will include a selection of proms night favourites including Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory, before once again finishing with the 1812 whilst the fireworks go off. See you there. NW