We all know hares are at their most visible in springtime, when the breeding season begins. But that’s not the reason why Cirencester is proliferating with these fascinating creatures!
Their appearance round the town is down to the new Cirencester March Hare Festival – a fun-filled, artistically-vibrant, event-packed celebration taking place over the next few months. At least 25 larger-than-life decorated hares will be on show all over the town and its environs - some decorated by artists, others by celebrities – as well as up to 50 smaller versions on display in shop windows, cafes and restaurants.
The festival is aiming to raise more than £50,000 for Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, which will use the funds for a Green Hare walkway – creating a network of wild walkways around the town – as well as for projects focused on young people.
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Look out for:
The Large Hare Sculpture Trail
• These hares will be out and about the town and surrounding areas from March 29-September 14
• With map in hand (available from the Town Council Information Centre Bingham House, 1 Dyer Street; and the Visitor Information Centre in the Corinium Museum, Park Street), can you follow the trail and find all the large decorated hares?
• When you find one, take a photograph of yourself with it and upload your photo to the website (www.cirencesterharefestival.org.uk)
• Find a celebrity hare or two!
• Check out any mystery hares not on the map! These will appear from time to time throughout the festival.
• Find our travelling hare - where is Horatio and where will he go to next? Post your suggestions on our website
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Three ways to get involved!
1. Put on your own hare event or promotion
2. Sponsor a mystery hare
For £1,200, you can sponsor a large “mystery hare” sculpture which will be added to the trail but will not be on the map! These will present a challenge for hare-spotters.
3. Help the festival raise money by putting on a fund-raising event
Town Centre Trail of small hares
• Starts May 2 and runs until September 14
• These hares will be inside shops - some may be hard to find!
• Hare- spotters need to collect a passport from one of the shops or outlets displaying the passport sign
• Get your passport stamped each time you find a small hare
• When you have found them all and completed your passport, hand in the prize-draw slip to the retailer
• The winner will be announced on September 20
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Red Hare Days!
When? Last Friday in April, May, June, July and August
What? Special hare-themed events and attractions
Where? In and around Cirencester
How do I find out more? Regular updates on the website and in Cotswold Life magazine and other local press
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Launch Details
If you’re quick, you’ll still be in time to catch the launch, on Saturday, March 29, when Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen will unveil his decorated hare in the Market Place at midday.
Festival organiser, Florence Beetlestone said, “This promises to be a fantastic event. It is marvellous that so many people in the community have got behind it and are all thinking of great hare-related ideas! This is free, fun and family-friendly. Come and join the trail!”
To keep up with the latest festival news, log onto www.cirencesterharefestival.org.uk, email cirenharefest@gmail.co.uk or call Cirencester Town Information Centre on 01285 655646
