Around 15,000 people are expected at a free summer street party in St Albans that will include live music and 70 food and drink stalls.
Street performers, theatre, cabaret, dancing, face-painting and trampolining are among the other attractions at the Alban Street Festival on Sunday 24 June.
The annual event takes over the City Centre from noon until 6pm with St Peter’s Street closed to traffic.
It forms part of the Alban Weekend with the stunning Alban Pilgrimage being held the day before, Saturday 23 June.
That includes a parade of giant puppets that celebrates Saint Alban, the first recorded Christian martyr in Britain, who was beheaded by the Romans.
It brings to life the story of the man whom the City is named after in a procession of Roman chariots, centurions, lions and executioners.
Sunday’s six-hour street party, organised by St Albans City and District Council, has two live music stages.
At the Taxi Rank Stage, opposite the Beech House, many musical tastes will be catered for including soul, reggae, acoustic pop and even ukuleles. Local acts include Silverrock, ARC, Katie’s Jumping Fleas and UR Crew.
Close to the Market Place, there is the Curb-Side Stage that will feature cabaret, dancing and trampolining as well as music. Among the acts are Alban Bollywood, Pixie Studios and Purple Allstars.
More than 70 traders will be selling an extraordinary range of food and drink as well as arts and crafts from market stalls. There will also be puppet making workshops and the summer-themed Tiki Bar offering exotic cocktails.
Among the many other activities, all free unless otherwise stated, are:
St Albans Museum + Gallery: drop into this newly-opened attraction to try out the art of screen painting in a workshop run by artist Laura Felicity, £2 per child.
World War One: a series of workshops, including a children’s marching drill and poppy making, that will give people an insight into the life of a soldier.
Oaklands Wooden Games: play some amazing handmade games created by Peter Templeman from Oaklands College.
Sustainability Zone: come and see the Incredible Edible Civic Centre Food Garden, by the Alban Arena, managed by FoodSmiles. There will be demonstrations of seed planting and a children’s bird-feeder making workshop.
The Great Get Together: new for this year is a quiet place for people to meet others and have a chat.
Bike Zone: to celebrate Bike Month, there will be stunt shows along with the opportunity to try some tricks yourself.
Councillor Salih Gaygusuz, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Business and the Community, said: “The Alban Weekend is an enthralling event that attracts huge crowds to the City Centre and I urge people not to miss out.
“The atmosphere at the street festival is always fantastic with so much free entertainment on offer throughout the day. It is a marvellous day out.
“There is something to suit people of all ages and interests and it is all set against the dramatic backdrop of our historic City Centre. This year we have an extra attraction with the new museum having just opened and contributing to the many activities on offer.”
For more details of the Pilgrimage and Street Festival, including a map, please see: http://www.enjoystalbans.com/whats-on/index.html
0 Comments