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A NEW cultural festival celebrating the arts, heritage and sport in Rugby will make its debut this summer.
The Love Rugby Festival – a spiritual successor to the Rugby Festival of Culture – aims to create the borough’s very own summer of love with a programme of live music, theatre, art, heritage and sport.
Rugby Borough Council has unveiled a Love Rugby logo to launch the new festival which, the council says, aims to create a sense of pride, boost footfall in the town centre and celebrate the borough’s diverse communities.
The Love Rugby Festival is set to be held from Sunday June 16 to Friday July 6, coinciding with Rugby School’s Festival on The Close and Warwickshire Open Studios’ annual Summer Art Weeks festival.
In addition to the programme of cultural and sporting events and activities, the festival includes a ‘couch to 5k’ fun run through the town centre, finishing at Whitehall Recreation Ground.
Coun Maggie O’Rourke, the council’s spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, said: “Rugby has a proud tradition of support for the arts, culture and sport, and Love Rugby celebrates the very best of the borough and what makes us who we are.
“The Love Rugby Festival picks up the baton from the Festival of Culture which ran successfully in the town for many years, and by expanding its remit to include sport and wellbeing, we can also support improved mental and physical health.
“I look forward to seeing how the festival develops over the next few years.
“Rugby’s residents reflect many different traditions and cultures, with a host of different backgrounds, but our love of Rugby unites us all.”
Her Liberal Democrat counterpart Coun Neil Sandison added: “Let us know what you most love about Rugby’s arts, heritage, sports and culture. We’d love to know which local events or business best reflect your love of Rugby and its communities.”
To encourage participation, the council plans to offer grants of up to £250 for community groups to organise festival events and activities, while community sports clubs are set to be offered up to £500 each to host taster sessions or open days.
The council plans to announce the full festival line-up and more information about the grants at www.rugby.gov.uk/loverugby once details have been finalised.
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