The hard-working teams at The Aveda Rye Retreat and the Rye Festival of the Sea are proud to introduce this year’s Festival Queen, Ali Adams, who will be at the forefront of the town’s first ever Festival of the Sea on July 22.
Ali grew up and went to school in Rye and often landed leading roles in Rye Dance Centre shows. She was a star in her own right in the town as a child. She attended the Italia Conti stage school and continued to develop her love of dance and the stage. Of course, like most of us who are lucky enough to enjoy a childhood in Rye, she returned a few years later. She has two young boys, both with very different personalities, the younger showing signs of following his mum’s love of the limelight. Ali is working hard on the maiden year of a brand new brave business venture alongside being a single mum. She has a bright personality, a caring nature and a fearless attitude to life.
Ali’s passion to support her home town and be part of something special for local people was a winning element for the judging panel.
The judges would like to thank each and every entrant for taking the time to get involved – it was a really tough decision.
You can see Ali in all her glory, after some fabulous pampering at the Rye Retreat, at the festival on Saturday July 22 from 11am. It will be a great fun-filled family day for all ages to enjoy so come along and celebrate your Cinque Port town.
The programme for the rest of the day has now been released:
Proceedings begin with the Raft Race at 11am from the Salts. Then at around midday the procession, led by the Bonfire Boys drummers will head to Strand Quay where there will be music, stalls and boats throughout the afternoon. Prize-giving for the Raft Race will happen at about 12.45pm, with the tug of war at 2pm and prize-giving at 3pm.
For the young – and perhaps also the not-so-young – there will be the nautical tales of Captain Pugwash in the Heritage Centre at 2pm and 4pm.
Among the bands providing non-stop entertainment throughout the afternoon are:
Rattle the boards
Hall and Blokes
RX Shantymen
Mellow Yellow
Rye Bay Crew
Phil Traynor and On the Level
Holly Holt
Anthony Skinner
Slap Bang
And we mustn’t forget the Message in a Bottle competition. Full details are in the Festival programme which is available at many of the shops around the town.
If all the nautical fun and games have inspired you, why not go down to Rye Harbour on Sunday and watch the dinghy racing? The club will be open from 10am with tea, coffee and cake available, and a little later the bar and a barbecue lunch will be in operation. Next door to the Sailing Club is the Lifeboat Station and they are having an open day, with a chance to see how they operate, and the new Atlantic class inshore lifeboat. And if young children get bored with that, there is a bouncy castle.
Rye’s maritime history goes back nearly 1,000 years, so do come and help to celebrate it.
Images: Courtesy Festival of the Sea