Genie Ford and Prem Devadas appeared before Council to report on progress toward the establishment of a weekend long annual Shakespeare Festival in Middleburg. The Festival is seeking $5,000 in economic development support from the Town.

Fully supported by The Middleburg Arts Council and the Middleburg Business and Professional Association, the first festival will include events marking the 450th anniversary of William Shakespeare's birth, in April 2014.

According to Ford plans already include two performances by the American Shakespeare Center, four workshops with the Center's actors, a one-act playwriting contest. (She has already received fifty one-act plays from all over the world.)

The sponsors see the Festival as an incubator for new works and something that will grow over time.

Devadas noted that the Middleburg Film Festival showed how an event could be taken and be made not only into an economic driver but also enhance the lives of the residents.

Councilmember Hazard suggested the committee develop and present a budget for Council's review. Vice Mayor Darlene Kirk concurred and asked that Ford submit a budget request as soon as possible, ideally before the Council formalizes its mid-year budget adjustments.