July 1974 a number of musicians departed for Rhodesia. They met with and performed for Ian Smith and toured the country before coming under attack by the Zanu-PF on the train from Bulawayo to Pretoria. In July 2008, many members of the same bands departed on a tour to the Rhineland. Drama The Drama department has a range of extracurricular activities going on throughout the year. Annually, alongside the girls' school, King Edward VI Handsworth, Aston puts on at least one full school production. The location of the main school play alternates each year, with both schools hosting a number of smaller productions. In recent years, Aston has staged West Side Story, The Threepenny Opera, October's Children, The Visit and Guys and Dolls. Productions of Return to the Forbidden Planet, Little Shop of Horrors, Grease and Fame have been staged at the girls' school with boys from Aston taking part. The combined Sixth Forms of Aston and Handsworth also stage a production of one of Shakespeare's plays once a year. The Drama Department also holds a House competition, in the form of the House Drama Festival. In recent years, the format has changed but the objectives are still the same. Each house holds a short production and competes against each other. A panel of judges decides which production was the best. Festival of Cultures For many, the highlight of the school year is the annual Festival of Cultures held in July, after all examinations have finished. The Festival aims to celebrate the broad diversity of cultures represented in the school community. It also provides students with opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities associated with individual cultures in workshops. Before 2005, the Festival of Cultures took place during afternoon school, and students attended one workshop. The Festival also continued into the evening, with students and their families, staff, old boys, and new students (set to join in September) invited. The evening consists of a programme of entertainment, based largely on the workshops from the day. There are also displays of art work and several food outlets, including a tea shop, a barbecue and the International Food Hall. There are also several stalls, including, for the first time in 2006, a Fair Trade stall. However, the new format of the event sees students have a whole day off timetable, and all students in Year 7-10 attend three workshop