Hoo Ha... just a little bit more of village festival

ORGANISERS of a mini music festival refused to let a downpour dampen their spirits.

About 250 people attended the Harpsden Hoo Ha outside the village hall on Saturday to enjoy live music, Mediterranean food and traditional games.

This was the third year of the event, which was started by Stephen Blackmore, a musician from Harpsden, in 2022 when the village fete didn’t return following the covid-19 pandemic.

Visitors arrived at about 1pm, an hour after the scheduled start because of rain showers, but then the sun came out.

Large coloured letters spelling “Hoo Ha” for people to pose with in pictures had to be moved to the performers’ marquee due to gusts of wind threatening to blow them over.

The opening act, Go Again, delayed their set until enough people were sitting on the hay bales.

They played Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy and Better Alone by Dua Lipa and were met with applause.

Other performers included Reading jazz band Blue Magoo, solo artist Izzie Young, 19, and Freebeer, a band which formed at The Henley College more than 25 years ago.

The Henley Youth Choir performed a range of music from Naughty from Matilda to Centuries by Fall Out Boy.

Dance routines were performed by children aged three to 17 from the Divas & Dudes Dance Academy, run by Steph Maxwell, from Henley.

The Stormchasers played at the event for the first time. They comprised guitarists Jake Meredith and Bertie Caplin, both 13, Dhani Prabhu-Naik, 12, on piano and new band member Alfie Rivers, 12, on bass.

Vistors danced and sang along as the band performed ACDC’s Highway to Hell.

Bertie said: “We’ve been practising for two months. We were so excited to do Highway to Hell because it’s one of those songs everyone knows.” Other attractions included a bottle tombola, face-painting, two bouncy castles, a coconut shy and games such as giant Connect Four that were played under cover.

Sam James, who manned the coconut shy for the second year running, said: “When it was raining I was unsure about coming but as soon as the sun came out I wanted to be here. It’s nice being part of all this.

“It’s the music for me and knowing that I’m chained to the coconuts. My socks are soaked but the rest of me is all right.”

Mike Hallett, from Sonning Common, won three coconuts with his daughter, Isla, 14.

He said: “We thought it would be nice to come because we’ve driven past it a few times in previous years but never been. It’s good to support a local event.”

Jane Pickering, of Greys Road, Henley, who came with her partner Rob Francis, said: “We really like music and we live locally so we walked here.”

Reels of bunting decorated marquees and families enjoyed the afternoon sun while eating Greek wraps from Olives & Lemons caterers in Henley run by Adrian Sterjo. Long queues formed at the bar.

Mr Sterjo, who had a catering team of three, said: “This event is getting bigger and bigger.

“The first year there were about 150 people but last year and this the numbers have been much higher.”

Mr Blackmore, who has lived in Harpden for seven years, said: “The idea of Hoo Ha was combining bits of an old English fete with music as Henley is a very musical town.

“We wanted an annual event to pull the community together and give local bands a chance to perform in front of people in a nice setting.

“It is about celebrating the village mentality of Harpsden and having something which is nice and simple and reminds people of their youth.”

The proceeds will go to the John Hodges’ Trust, which is responsible for the hall and playing fields.

• For more pictures, see next week’s Henley Standard.