Hat Festival begins

The price per person is ￡45 plus materials. For more details see www.highwayfarm.co.uk or call 01308 424 321.
Fiona will be running a one-day workshop at Highway Farm on November 13th, from 10am-4pm, where you can learn how to make cloche and stylish trilby-styleCheap NBA hats  Now Fiona works from a studio on the St Michael’s Trading Estate, but also works in Snook’s women’s section, selling hats which include some of her own designs.
“When the shops closed after they retired, I inherited the leftover stock and started my own millinery business.”
“Soon she had shops in Brackley, High Wycombe and Henley-on-Thames that were run by my mother Elaine and my aunt Sheila.
“My Irish grandmother Gladis Falloon started an independent dress and hat shop in Brackley North Oxfordshire, in the 1920sWholesale NBA hats I use materials such as fur and straw, and add felt or vintage haberdashery decorations which I make myself.
“Some are made bespoke to suit particular clients, but I am developing a range for general sale.
Fiona says: “Most of my hats are based on designs from the 1920s and 1930s, but with a modern twist in the use of materials and decoration.
Bradpole resident Fiona is also running a hat-making workshop at Highway Farm, West Road, Bridport, next month.
Fiona, whose handmade hats are sold in T Snook of Bridport, will be exhibiting her exclusively-designed hats in the Electric Palace as part of the hat festival.
l Local milliner Fiona Neylan will be displaying her own creations at this weekend’s Hat Festival – and if you fancy having a go at making hats yourself, she can show you how.
Make sure you pick up a copy of the festival programme, available from T Snook, West Street, and other outlets around Bridport.
The Festival Finale, with Jess Upton and Steve Wilson playing an alt country/folk set, takes place at The Stable from 4pm-6pm.
You can catch an acoustic set from Duotone at the Electric Palace from 1pm (more information in View 2) and Jim Reynolds at The George Hotel from 4pm.
The final day of the festival, Sunday, sees a workshop at the Arts Centre from 11am-1pm, followed by Argentine Tango Social Dancing from 1:30pm -3:30pm.
There are plenty of other events in the afternoon, culminating with a Cabaret Evening in the Arts Centre from 8pm and Madness tribute act One Step Behind in the Electric Palace; Scrumpy &?Western band Skimmity Hitchers play Ropemakers from 9pm.
There are a choice of workshops beings held at the Town Hall from 10am, Cheap F1 hats     vintage cars and cream teas on the Millennium Green all day, and trade stands and demonstrations in the Arts Centre and Electric Palace.
Saturday sees a whole host of hat-related activities. You can catch music street theatre and the magical Cat Man Do in Bucky Doo Square from 10am-3:30pm, whilst The Bull Hotel and Bridport Museum both host exhibitions from 10am-5pm.
The fun begins on Friday (September 17th) night with a concert by Hank Wangford &?The Lost Cowboys at Bridport Arts Centre (more information in View 2).