Events Archive
Derby Feste
A celebration to mark the opening of the new Westfield Derby retail development
To mark the opening of the Westfield retail development in the city centre, the cultural organisations of Derby are joining forces to stage a number of spectacular events throughout the city on Saturday October 13th (SEE IMAGES ABOVE).
Derby Festé starts from 6pm with a trail from Westfield Derby through the Market Place and into the heart of the Cathedral Quarter as a celebration of Derby.
The opening event is a special free performance in the Derby Playhouse foyer, organised by Derby Jazz, on the opening night of the Playhouse’s spectacular production of Stepping Out, Richard Harris’ heart-warming comedy about the lives, loves, laughs and disappointments of a group of women (and one man) attending a weekly tap class.
At 7pm huge fire-breathing dragons take to the streets to lead you from the Westfield retail development to the heart of the city. Starting at ‘The Spot’ on London Road, world famous Catalonian street-arts company Sarruga will lead their dramatic procession The Dragons through the streets of the Cathedral Quarter. Buildings along the route will be transformed with lights and projections, before you arrive in the Market Square for an exciting finale of fire, film and fantasy.
As the dragons arrive in the Market Place at 7.45pm, QUAD, Derby’s soon-to-be-built £10 million visual arts and media centre, will present a series of unveilings and spectacular displays. Part of a whole weekend of activity, these include the Big M, a huge inflatable structure that contains an exciting range of artist’s films from all over Europe.
Alongside a special programme of film, photography and interactive activities on the BBC Big Screen, QUAD will also be launching We The People, an exhibition featuring 100’s of portraits of the people of Derby by four different photographers. The final photographs will be unveiled during the celebrations, leading up to a pyrotechnic display from the roof of the Assembly Rooms.
Following this at 8.30pm, the celebrations move to Derby Dance for Hurly Burly, a spectacular burlesque-themed arty-party that brings the glamour and glitz of Paris to Derby. Expect the unexpected as new and traditional art forms collide in a frenzy of creativity. Presented by Derby Dance in collaboration with QUAD and Trigger, Hurly Burly features fantastic live music from cutting-edge artists like Ergo Phizmiz, Flotel, Hetain Patel and Jyoti Mishra, with exhibitions, installations and performances going on into the early hours.
At the centre of this event is the surreal cabaret Outré. Music hall meets end-of-the-pier freak show meets ghost train: a disturbing but beautiful place where Darren Johnston’s unique choreography can be shown in all its startling, haunting originality. With commissioned music from Christian Vogel and Warp Records artists like Jamie Lidell and Tyondai Braxton (Battles), Outré will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.
Tickets for Hurly Burly are available for £10 by calling Derby Dance Box Office on 01332 370911. All other events are free.
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