Grantham to enjoy biggest and best ever Gravity Fields Festival

Grantham’s Gravity Fields Festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with the prospect of more science-related events throughout the year.

The pledge came at a media launch of the fourth festival, which is just 11 days away.

Festival patron Valerie Gibson told the launch at Woolsthorpe Manor that since the biennial event was first staged in 2012, Gravity has grown from “Grantham’s special, secret festival to something that’s becoming internationally-renowned.

“It’s the UK’s best arts and science festival,” she said, before asking “where do we go from here?”

“We need to spread the arts magic and spread it throughout the year so that Grantham and Woolsthorpe becomes a place to learn about science. That is really the way we need to go.”

Woolsthorpe Manor confirmed it was already planning its own science moves.

Operations manager Janet Warriner said: “2019 will be a period of transformation for us at the manor. Next year is our year of space with a new learning offer.”

However, the launch focussed on the five days of festivities for Grantham, Woolsthorpe Manor and surrounds that are expected to attract tens of thousands of people, when the festival starts on Wednesday September 26.

A highlight of the launch was marking the start of an ‘auction’ for eight seedlings that were grown in space, using seeds taken from Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree at the manor.

The seeds were collected in 2014 and sent to the Millennium seed bank before spending six months in space with US astronaut Tim Peake.

The seedlings then returned to the UK and now several years later they have become healthy, young trees.

The UK space agency and the manor have devised a competition inviting groups with a love of science to say why they should be given one or more of the trees. A short film featuring Tim Peake showed him explaining the ‘Pips in Space’ project was shown at the launch.

The saplings highlighted the connection between science and this year’s theme of the festival, that of botany and a Voyage of Discovery.

This year marks 250 years of the voyage of the Endeavour to Botany Bay in Sydney, Australia, which included Lincolnshire botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

It meant a move into botany-related events, in addition to presentations and talks featuring tv celebrity Brian Cox and Britain’s first astronaut Helen Sharman.

Children will put on events with one hosted by tv presenter Dallas Campbell.

There will also be a ‘strong comedy strand’ with performers including a show about saving ugly animals and another featuring the Agony Uncles of Science.

Grantham high street will experience a carnival float ship parading down it. A garden of light display is also planned. St Wulfram’s Church will host attractions, including a large hanging moon.

Coun Helen Goral, SKDC cabinet member for growth and communications, said Gravity will remind people about the “unbelievable legacy of Sir Isaac Newton and will open young minds to the potential of science.” Some 67,000 people attended the last Gravity and it was growing. Thanking various sponsors, she added: “Gravity will amaze, educate and inspire.”