In Summer 2019 Essex Cultural Diversity Project worked with partners and venues across Norfolk to deliver a programme of exciting events, as part of the Festival of Norfolk & Punjab 2019. 

The Festival of Norfolk & Punjab took place 15 June until 3 August 2019, and was a countywide celebration of the life and achievements of the Duleep Singh family and their contribution to Norfolk. The ‘Duleep Singhs’, the last Royal family of the Punjab were associated with Norfolk for almost a century. Highlights includes a special exhibition and events at Ancient House Museum; a Maharajah’s Feast at Elveden Village Hall with performers from Rajasthan, India; tours, workshops and family events at Norwich Castle and the Museum of Norwich; healthy punjabi food demos, Bollywood dance workshops, and a grand finale in Thetford.

We’d like to thank all of our funders, partners, performers, speakers and artists who helped make the Festival such a huge success, as well as all those who came and took part!

Here are some snippets of the Festival (from our Flickr image archive)

Here’s a video from the Thetford Mela, Grand Finale of the Festival of Norfolk & Punjab:

FULL PROGRAMME
To see an online PDF version of the Festival brochure click here (link to issuu.com)

Exhibitions

• 15 June – 3 Aug Princess Sophia Duleep Singh  Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 10 June – 3 Aug Pride of the People: Helping History Out of the Closet Various venues

Events

• 15 June Sathnam Sanghera  Thetford Library
• 26 June The Life and Legacy of Prince Frederick Norwich Arts Centre
• 29 June Punjabi Cooking & Bollywood Dance Charles Burrell Centre, Thetford
• 29 June Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer Charles Burrell Centre, Thetford
• 29 June Punjabi Curry Night Thomas Paine Hotel, Thetford
• 2 July Votes for Women, Home Educators workshop Lynn Museum, King’s Lynn
• 4 July Prince Victor & the Curse of the Carnarvons Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 11 July Princess Sophia, Home Educators Workshop Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 11 July Suffragettes vs the State Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 21 July Forties Lynn Lynn Museum, King’s Lynn
• 25 July Mini Museum Club: Dragons and Knights Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 25 July Sikh Empire Artefacts with the Sikh Museum Initiative, Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 26 July Queer History Tour Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery
• 26 July Peter Bance Talk St Martin’s Church Thompson
• 27 July Queer History Tour Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
• 27 July Prince Frederick’s Horses Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse
• 27 July Jugnu Bhangra at Norfolk World Music Festival Burton Manor Barns
• 30 July Punjabi Cooking & Bollywood Dance Methodist Church, Thetford
• 2 Aug Escape Room: Escape the Closet Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 2 Aug The Maharajah’s Feast Elveden Village Hall
• 3 Aug Sophia! Family Event Ancient House Museum, Thetford
• 3 Aug Thetford Mela: Festival Finale Thetford Riverside ‘On The Green’

Thanks to all those who helped make the Festival such a success, including:

Our funders and key partners: Arts Council England | Heritage Fund | Breckland Council | Ancient House Museum | Norfolk Museums Service

Supporters, venues and artists: About Thetford Magazine | Ancient House Teenage History Club | Aya Cuisine | Breckland Council | Bollywood Sparkles | Charles Burrell Centre | Circus Raj | the Cultural Engine | DEA Orchestra (the Dhol Enforcement Agency) | Elveden Village Hall | Folk Dance Remixed | Jaya Dance | Jugnu Bangra | Lata Upadhyaya and her Arts in Transit Team | Leaping Hare | the Lively Crew | Norfolk Museums Service | Norfolk World Music Festival | Norfolk Arts Centre | Peter Bance | Nanaki Bance | the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band | Sarah Brady | Sathnam Sanghera | Seema Anand | Shane Shambu | Sikh Museum Initiative | South Norfolk Council | Thetford Library | Thetford on the Green | Thomas Paine Hotel, Thetford | Time Will Tell Theatre | Virsa Punjab Bhangra Dancers

The Festival of Norfolk & Punjab, 15 June – 3 August, is a county wide celebration of the life and achievements of the Duleep Singh family, the last Royal family of the Punjab, and their contribution to Norfolk.