Nostalgia - good for your mental health

Thursday 15 August 2019

Next month's '50s and '60s Retro Festival bonanza includes plans for coconut shies and go-carts at Government House and a makeshift drive in movie theatre at North Beach in aid of local charities.

A host of retro items for sale have been brought into the empty art-deco Market Building space to launch the island's first ever Retro Festival which won the Guernsey Tourism Ideathon earlier this year.

Pictured: Do you recognise any of these retro items? Click to view larger image. 

The organisers of Guernsey's first Retro Festival (27-29 September) said they want to bring the joy of 1950's-1960's nostalgia to the entire island for a weekend of events and activities. 

The Market Buildings, Government House and North Beach will all feature free music and events from a bygone era. Kicking off with a party on the Friday in the Market with businesses already starting to encourage their workers to dress up rather than dress down in suave and stylish attire before attending the opening concert in the Market Square.

Attendees at Government House on the Saturday will be immersed into a fairground of the past with stalls, music and activities all reminiscent of the period. A motor vehicle rally will coincide with the second Distinguished Gentleman's ride as well as a Seafront Sunday, which will all bring vintage clad attendees to the North Beach for more frivolities. 

Pictured: A rider from last year's Distinguished Gentleman's Ride in Guernsey. Via Retro Festival facebook page. 

There are already ways to get into the retro spirit (literally) by tasting the White Rock Brewery special Lady Juniper gin which has been launched in association with the festival - you could even buy a retro receptacle to sip it from at the Retro Shop run by Mark and Louise Chilcott open in the Market Building from 10:00-16:00. 

Free Rock and Roll dance lessons are already taking place on Mondays at Les Beaucamps High School (20:00-21:00) and Wednesdays at Le Trelade (19:00-20:00) as well so there's still time to brush up on your boogie-woogie before hitting the tiles at the end of next month. 

Money will be raised for the charity with collection boxes and tickets available for optional extras such as a £20 tea and scones at Government House on the Saturday or a chance to show off your vintage car in the display either day.  More information can be found here. 

Co-organiser Dennis Le Prevost said the fact that so many sectors of the community were already coming together to show enthusiasm for the festival was proof nostalgia could be a tourism and cultural boom for the island. 

"There's even a study that shows it's really good for your mental health to immerse yourself back into a past life, if you look back you can start to plan your future better," he said. 

In fact the money raise by entry to the various festival events will go towards Guernsey Mind, Men's Shed Guernsey and Male Uprising Guernsey. Its organisers have links with the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride which Mr Le Prevost said was a demonstrable success last year. 

"It gave us the idea to put on a bigger event this year. One of the big inspirations came from the Goodwood Festival. We've had great support so far. We want it for all ages, I think people are really starting to get excited," he said. 

Above: The Network Rock and Roll dancers who are putting on lessons every week until the festival. 

Live music will be taking place on every day of the event with a full one up to be released nearer the time but will have appearances from Matt Bonneville and the Cage Shakers, The Blondettes and Harry Dean Jr and the New Breed (with members from King Rat and the Soul Cats).  

It's even hoped that the Governor himself might join in with the dressing up when he attends the festival on the Friday. 

"He does have an AC Cobra [sports car]," jokes Mr Le Prevost. 

 Pictured above: The Market Buildings are being used to feature retro and vintage items ahead of the festival.