West Cricket Festivals:

The first "West of England" festival was held at Truro Cricket Club in Cornwall in July 1983. The teams taking part were the Under 14 county sides from Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire and Somerset.  The first game between Cornwall and Devon proved very exciting ending in a tie with Cornwall 186 for 9! In the following years inter-county festivals were organised at Taunton School (for Under 12 and Under 14 teams), Plymouth College (for Under 13 teams) and Treliske Preparatory School (for Under 11 and Under 13 teams). Eventually all these festivals moved to Kings College at Taunton, helped by phenomenal work by the then Head Groundsman, Dennis Breakwell, and now occupy some six weeks of the summer holidays. In the early days, the umpires were organised by Ian Cowley and the accommodation by Ted and Sally Ashman.

This summer will mark 36 years of these festivals! Thousands of young cricketers have played at Kings, including many who currently play in the full England team and lots playing First Class cricket. We have even had young players who are now in the national teams for the Barbados, Trinidad, South Africa and the Netherlands.  Altogether this summer there will be 80 teams aged from Under 10  up to Under 14 teams playing this, the greatest of games, in a total of 9 different Festivals.

Malcolm Broad.

DOGS
Please complete the dog permit and keep your dog on a lead if you are attending the Festivals!  Please refer to the Dogs - Information page.

STOP PRESS:
Twelve of the 14 players representing England in the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa played in the Kings Festivals!! 

A warm welcome awaits parents and supporters on the first day of every Kings Festival.

---