Affiliated to BIFF The festival, which is based at the parish church, was the brainchild of a late Gorleston vicar, the Rev. Tony Clemens and the late Harold Taylor. They decided to set up a celebration which would take place around St Andrew's Day, traditionally the 30th of November. However, the first festival in 1969 was nearly the last when heavy snow led to the cancellation of some events. Despite the weather, the festival captured people's imaginations and a number signed up to be patrons.   The event moved to the end of October and by the next year it had a new base when the church's newly built octagonal Chapter House opened.   Soon after, a competitive festival was added - which is now held as a separate event in the spring and which brings in several hundred competitors each year. The residing incumbent of St. Andrew’s Parish Church is always appointed as festival President this being written in the Festival’s constitution. The annual concert typically takes place in the autumn with performances by the festival winners. A Brief History of the Festival “Music is the social act of communication among people, a gesture of friendship, the strongest there is.” The late Sir Malcolm Arnold CBE former Festival Patron 1986-2006 © St Andrews Festival Organising Committee Registered Charity No. 289073