ON Saturday July 9, people of Bridgwater can spend the day enjoying music, comedy, dance, carnival and street theatre around the streets of the town to celebrate Twinning Day.
For the last few years Bridgwater Twinning Forum has timed it’s annual event with the town’s Quayside Festival to celebrate the longstanding relations with towns across the world.
This year's event will culminate at the Arts Centre for the evening for the Twinning Show.
Bridgwater has 7 Twin towns around the world and this is the day they all get together and put on a celebration of international friendship with music, film and up to date information.
The show starts at 7.30 and this year the event will be free, but with an option to make a donation to Ukraine.
Organiser and town council leader Brian Smedley, said: “Bridgwater has 7 twin towns. And whilst it’s not called the Septuplet Forum, the spirit of international friendship is integral to bringing together peoples from across the world.
"Bridgwater’s first twin was La Ciotat in France back in 1957. In the 1980’s as we became more involved with the European Union Sedgemoor developed links with the German District of Schwalm Eder and in 1992 Bridgwater directly linked with the town of Homberg within that district.
"The same year Bridgwater became the first British town to twin with a Czech town after the velvet revolution which saw the collapse of communism.
"That link with Uherske Hradiste is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this Month. In 2006 we twinned with the former British territory of Malta and in 2015 it was Priverno in Italy.”
The event on the 9th July will start with some films from the 7 twin towns and the show will also be broadcast simultaneously on you tube.
But the show will also feature music from far and wide as the Portuguese performance artist BSP will be singing and painting(yes) at the same time and from wide, Cllr Smedley will be playing the guitar.
Then headlining the event will be Somerset band The Secret Notes, formed by musician John Maybey.
Smedley went on to say: "All of these links matter to our partner communities around the world so people are invited to come and share in them and learn more at our July 9th twinning day.”
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