Thetford River Festival links with the Festival of Thetford & Punjab to bring a unique Cultural Experience.

This year The River Festival will link with the Festival of Thetford & Punjab to mark the 125th Anniversary of the death of Maharaja Duleep Singh, a partnership project between Essex Cultural Diversity Project (ECDP) who will work with Thetford Town Council to deliver cultural heritage festival including a wide range of activities to take place along the River Ouse. There will be a major series of events that will collectively comprise a Heritage Festival that will engage many local organisations and a range of creative cultural & heritage practitioners and performers from across the Norfolk area.

The festival will be a cultural celebration and exploration of the story of Duleep Singh and his cultural legacy. This includes his family, the political and cultural context of the time he was living and how this has influenced Thetford and the surrounding are today. It is also a chance to further explore the under-appreciated links between Thetford and Punjab due to this shared heritage. This provides opportunities for audiences around Thetford Norfolk to learn more about this story, and to get involved in a range of cultural activities during the  River Festival on Saturday 21st July

Indi Sandhu Director of festival of Thetford & Punjab said, ‘we are keen to work Thetford Town Council to deliver a high festival will be ground-breaking cross-cultural collaborations between diverse and East Anglian based artists or creative/cultural practitioners including dance, visual and performance art, literature, craft and theatre.

The cultural legacy of Duleep Singh is a significant for the Thetford/Elveden area as it is for the Punjab 2018 will be the 125 year anniversary of the death of Maharaja Duleep Singh, so this is a unique opportunity to recognise this important date and re-engage people in the cultural heritage.

A procession through the town centre with a collaboration between Bhangra and Morris dancers, Bhangra Dhol Drummers, Punjabi food stall, turban tying, henna hand painting, storytelling activities along the River. This event will be a free unique cultural experience for all communities and a family friendly atmosphere for all ages.

Thetford Town Council is thrilled to be partners in such an exiting collaboration that marks the start of a new working relationship wit Essex Cultural Diversity Project and already has plans to develop further links and activities together.