Annual Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech & Drama is back at Bedford Corn Exchange​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech & Drama makes a welcome return this weekend featuring more than 1,500 musicians and actors to perform in one of the oldest and most prestigious festivals in the UK.

The eight-day event at Bedford Corn Exchange celebrates the finest musical and dramatic talent of Bedfordshire and beyond, offering over 250 competitive classes that cover most musical instruments and genres as well as Speech and Drama disciplines.

Visitors can enjoy sessions from Saturday, March 2 to Saturday, March 9 for just £2.50 (under 10s go free) or purchase a season ticket for an unlimited number of classes throughout the week for just £13.

A huge range of classes range from Classical to Musical Theatre, Jazz to Asian, Pop to Folk, as well as Speech and Drama classes including Verse Speaking, Creative Performance, Shakespeare and Acting. There are also special categories for school groups, Special School groups, orchestras and wind bands and on Saturday a celebration of the region’s junior and senior choirs.

On Friday, March 8, the Festival will also host the Bedford Music Hub Showcase – the Bedford Music Hub’s focus is to ensure all children and young people across Bedford Borough have access to high-quality, inclusive and varied musical experiences and progression routes. The performances will take place from 5.30pm on Friday at the Corn Exchange and are open to all.

The festival will conclude with a prestigious Gala Concert at the Corn Exchange, where the most outstanding performers from across the 8 days will return to compete for the overall Festival prizes for Speech and Drama, Music, Piano, Senior Singing, Junior Singing and Choral Singing.

Although competitive in nature, the Festival is an annual celebration of the talent that can be found in Bedfordshire and the surrounding area and gives young and old alike the chance to share their passion for the performing arts.

Classes will be held at the Corn Exchange, Harpur Suite and Howard Room in Bedford town centre with tickets to purchase on the door. Programme can be bought in advance at the Corn Exchange box office for £4 or at the Festival Box office during festival week.

Click here for more information.