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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 20 June 2008

Francesca Habul-Maiden and Orla Dolan, both aged five, making a splash at Highbury Fields

It’s Highbury’s fields of dreams as thousands see area come alive to the sound of music at love your park event

FALCONS, eagles, sheepdogs and a strongman duo showed off their skills at the Love Your Park event at Highbury Fields on Saturday.
An estimated 3,000 people enjoyed the festivities which were organised by the borough’s Greenspace rangers and led by Highbury Fields ranger Laura Sanna.
Visitors were treated to live music in the café, including a jamming session, and younger children were given free didgeridoo lessons.
Ms Sanna said: “I really watched the fields come alive for the first time since I’ve been here. In the main arena there was a birds of prey display with falcons, eagles and peregrins. Then we had a sheepdog display with five working sheepdogs. “Even before the event people were ringing me up to say they are going to bring their dogs so they can learn how to behave.”
The animal antics later gave way to an amazing show of endurance from a comedy father and daughter strongman duo, while children queued up elsewhere to have their faces painted. Local businesses ran a range of stalls and firefighters gave the youngsters the chance to see what it feels like to be behind the wheel of a real fire engine.
Ms Sanna added: “The live music in the café culminated in a seven-piece band playing funky jazz and world music.
“The children who took part in the didgeridoo workshop had the chance to play onstage at the last half hour.
“The music is something I’ve been trying to bring to Highbury Fields. People were coming to me and saying they would much rather have an event like this which they feel is for the local community than something like a circus.
“It was a joint effort from all the rangers services. It will hopefully become a flagship event for Greenspace.”

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