Film screenings, opera, craft stalls, a Bake-Off and Benefit Ball are just some of the events that will be taking place in Midsomer Norton this week with both the Arts Festival and the Town’s very first and poignant, Pride event, particularly in light of the horrific event in Orlando last weekend. BBC Somerset will be joining the Pride Bake-Off as part of a special series it is making, focusing mainly on the town event.

The town’s Art’s Festival begins this week with community displays around the theme of flowers, including the many large decorated petals, designed by local community groups, schools and artists, as well displays of secondary students’ work in over eighty High Street shops and venues.

The idea is to give local people the opportunity to experience a whole range of arts, and to encourage them to take part in creative activity, with this year’s programme building on the success of last year.

The main event takes place in the Hollies Gardens this Saturday, 18th June between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. An art and craft market takes place in the Hollies Garden, alongside a range of exciting practical workshops and music and drama performances. There will be more workshops and exhibitions in the Council Chambers and the Town Hall, and events on Silver Street, at the Nature Reserve and the Somerset and Dorset Railway.

Arts Festival organiser, Martyn Plant, said: “We are really pleased that many individuals and groups have contributed to the Arts Festival again this year. We are also really grateful for the support of many local businesses, community groups and individuals in making this happen, and particularly Midsomer Norton Community Trust and the Town Council.”

Some of the events taking place during the week at the Town Hall include a pre-Festival talk by Paulton-born, Arts Festival patron, Rodney Matthews, about his life and work on Thursday, 16th June from 7 p.m., and the opening ceremony on Friday, 17th June between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will be also a range of concerts and cinema events at the Town Hall and the Library will host a school’s concert on Tuesday, 21st June from 7 p.m. Many of these students are also performing a lunchtime concert at St John’s Church the following day.

To round off the week, Bath Opera are performing Madame Butterfly in a lavish production at the Town Hall on Friday, 24th June, followed by the closing ceremony on Saturday, 25th June – where there will be audio-visual performances, including from a scratch orchestra, who are currently looking for participants! If you are interested in any of the events, or taking part in a workshop, email: manager@midsomernorton communitytrust.co.uk or phone: 01761 419133. You can also view the complete event programme at: www.midsomernortoncommunitytrust.co.uk

The Town’s Pride event begins on Friday, 17th June in the Town Hall with a screening of the film, Pride, which follows the story of a group of LGBT activists, who raised money to help families affected by the British miners’ strike in 1984. With the National Union of Mineworkers reluctant to accept the group’s support, they take their donations directly to a small mining village in Wales, which results in an unexpected alliance.

The Bake-Off competition and champagne tea begins at 1.30 p.m. followed by a disco at the Greyhound and the Benefit Ball at the Wunderbar. In memory of the Orlando victims, there will be a minute’s silence during the Bake-Off. Organiser, Nik Jovcic-Sas, said: “Gay and trans people are victims of violence every day, but we will never stop fighting for our freedom to live and to love. With only days away from the main event, the positive response we have had from the local community has been overwhelming. I didn’t expect the town to embrace Pride so openly – but there have been some who are not so pleased with the event going forward.

“These responses have only bolstered our resolve. We are all so excited for Saturday and we have a feeling that this event is going to be like nothing Norton has ever seen before!”