Music Around the Forest at Vicar Water Country Park

This event is free to attend and suitable for all ages. It is a collaboration between Musicworks and Open Doors and takes place between 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm. There will be maps available to help visitors explore.

On arrival at the entrance to the park, visitors can get their maps. They can then either join a group or go it alone if they prefer. There will be Sounds Guides who will be happy to help them find their way.

The walk takes place through the forest and participants either travel alone with the help of their free map to find the musicians, or they can walk with others in a small group with a Sound Guide. Walkers will be encouraged to take time to listen to the forest itself, identifying what they can hear and experience in the soundscape and learn about music.

A previous event hosted at Vicar Water Country Park by Musicworks and Open Doors was a resounding success, with ‘Gentle Jukeboxes’ engaging a wide range of visitors in music and nature. The idea for Musicwalks came out of lockdown, according to Musicworks organiser John Osborne: ‘During lockdown, when we could only have an hour’s exercise outside each day, I became aware that the world sounded quite different. There was no traffic noise and no planes, and the pace of life had changed for many of us. It was possible to hear birdsong and the sounds of nature far easier than it had been before. People kept mentioning this to me and saying how it was helping their mental health at a time of great concern and anxiety.’

As well as Musicworks, the event is being hosted by Open Doors, a three-year programme of events organised by Newark and Sherwood District Council and funded by Arts Council England. Its aim is to increase creative opportunities for young people and under-served groups and become a focal point for culture across Newark and Sherwood.

Councillor Rowan Cozens, Deputy Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council and Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture, and the Arts, said: “Giving people the opportunity to engage with arts, in particular music, across the district is something I am extremely passionate about. Vicar Water Country Park is a beautiful area in our district which is only enhanced through events like these. Being outside, surrounded by nature, listening to wonderful music is the perfect way to spend some time, escaping the everyday and looking after our mental wellbeing.  I would encourage any resident to get out and enjoy this fantastic musical opportunity in our beautiful award-winning green flag park.”

Event updates and more information can be found on the Vicar Water Country Park Facebook page. There are also updates on the social media channels and websites for the National Civil War Centre and Palace Theatre Newark - @nationalcivilwarcentre and @palacenewark on Instagram; @civilwarcentre and @palacenewark on X; National Civil War Centre and Palace Theatre Newark on Facebook.