Exciting new season of events revealed for Tamworth
Live musical shows, performances of fire and puppetry, St George’s Day extravaganza, outdoor cinema and We Love Tamworth festival – these are just some of the highlights lined up in Tamworth’s exciting new season of events.
Tamworth Borough Council’s Arts and Events team have been working hard to create a new and varied line up of shows and acts for Tamworth families and visitors to enjoy over the coming months.
This includes more Assembly Rooms on Tour, taking some of the theatre’s favourite performers out into community locations, and popular seasonal outdoor events.
The new season begins on March 14 when Tamworth Assembly Rooms continues ‘On Tour’ at Two Rivers School Torc Theatre for an exciting week of theatre and drama.
This popular annual Drama Festival provides performance groups with the opportunity to enter the celebrated All England Theatre Festival by demonstrating their talent with three One Act plays being showcased each evening.
The next ‘On Tour’ performance is the musical comedy ‘The Wedding Singer’ which will be performed at Landau Forte Academy from April 4 to April 7. Tamworth Musical Theatre Company (formerly known as Tamworth Arts Club) presents this hit production set in 1985 with rock-star wannabe Robbie Hart, New Jersey's favourite wedding singer. This production is guaranteed to be a big hit with any 80s pop songs lover.
Free activities include the popular St George’s Day extravaganza on Saturday, April 21. This annual celebration brings together a host of activities for all the family which attracts thousands of visitors each year. Don’t miss the return of crowd favourites such as live-action Medieval Jousting and a living history encampment featuring a host of medieval games and a 5 metre animatronic dragon which is back by popular demand after being much loved by children and families alike a few years ago.
Touring Theatre returns on May 18, at the Sacred Heart Church, when Live and Local present a haunting masterpiece of classic silent cinema. Minima Nosferatu – “A Symphony of Horror (1922)”.
If you enjoyed the programme of outdoor events last year, then you won’t want to miss the return of The Fabularium to the Castle Grounds on May 29, with their free outdoor family show. This show tells a story of four fellow animals who all share a passion for music - ‘The Town Band of Bremen’ is an amazing performance of storytelling, live music, mask work and puppetry.
Join us on the upper lawn of the Castle Grounds again on June 9 for a magical performance when Marie Celestial performs for the first time in Tamworth with their live aerial circus on board a roaming, mechanical space-faring beast. Guaranteed to be a spectacular show of fire and puppetry and clockwork mechanics, this is a must see for all the family.
Tamworth Borough Council’s programme of Summer Bandstand Concerts begins on Sunday, June 10 and will see a variety of bands, singers and clubs taking to the stage to delight audiences on weekends throughout the season.
The full 2018 line-up is as follows:
• Sunday June 10 - Andy Smith
• Saturday June 16 - Tamworth Jazz, Blues, Country, Folk and Roots
• Saturday June 30 - Tamworth Musical Theatre Company
• Sunday July 1 - Make Some Noise & Friends
• Saturday July 7 - Amington Band
• Sunday July 8 - Tamworth Wind Band
• Saturday July 21 - Tamworth Voices
• Saturday August 4 - Liquid Brass
• Saturday August 11 - Tamworth Jazz, Blues, Country, Folk and Roots
• Saturday August 18 - 58s Blues Band
• Saturday August 25 - Bryan Brindley & Friends
Outdoor theatre entertainment returns on June 23 when Quantum Theatre presents an enchanting adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s, ‘The Reluctant Dragon’ - a touching, sweet and funny tale of bravery and friendship, for the whole family to enjoy. Bring a blanket and a picnic and head to Dosthill Park.
A number of activities will be taking place this year to mark the 1100 year anniversary of the death of our legendary ‘Tamworth’s Lady of the Mercians’ - Aethelflaed, . This includes one of Tamworth’s largest ever arts projects, which has seen communities unite to create ‘Mercian Mosaic.’ Watch on July 14 as 1400 individual square yard tiles come together to make one large and intricate design laid out on the lower lawn of the Castle Grounds for all to see.
The programme would not be complete without the annual Outdoor Cinema on August 4. Get your popcorn ready, sing, dance and join us in our 6th year of summer cinema in Tamworth Castle Grounds. The winning films for this year’s event are Top Gun and Labyrinth, so bring your wing man and let us take your breath away for an evening of fantasy that you won’t forget.
September concludes this season’s events programme with the annual We Love Tamworth which will bring the Castle Grounds alive on September 1 with a host of activities for children, grown-ups and four-legged friends too! This year will see the return of the much loved dog show as well as community stalls organised by Tamworth Lions and a dedicated Children’s Zone. Also look out for a fantastic music making machine which will be appearing.
Tamworth also invites you on September 1 to complete the library’s summer reading challenge and celebrate with a fantastic show – ‘Space Rebel Princess’ - an interactive show for children aged 5-9 and their families.
More….
What’s On summer 4…..
The Arts and Events team have worked hard to put together a packed programme of entertainment while the town’s historic Tamworth Assembly Rooms undergoes a major refurbishment.
The project has now entered the construction phase and we want to share the journey with you as well as the theatre’s history and future. You can follow the Assembly
Rooms Development Blog and see our touring exhibition as it makes its way across various locations in Tamworth. Full information can be found at: www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk/blog
Cllr Robert Pritchard, Deputy Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said: “This is another great line up of events, with some exciting new features alongside the more popular festivities which have put Tamworth on the map in the recent years.
“Providing quality entertainment for our residents and attracting visitors to the town remains a key priority for the council and our thanks go to the Arts and Events team for organising another fantastic selection. We hope to see lots of people coming out to take part in the fun.”
Full information on the events, including ticket details, is available online at: www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk, or call the Box Office: 01827 709618.
