The Weymouth BID and event organiser Roger Dalton Associates are building on the success of the 2013 Victorian Shownight to create a larger two day community led Christmas Festival.
In order to broaden the scope of Shownight and build it into a larger community event, the Weymouth BID applied for and was successful in obtaining an Arts Council grant to fund the growth of the Victorian Shownight event. The grant of almost ten thousand pounds (£10,000) will be used to create a spectacular Lantern Parade which will launch this year’s Shownight Christmas festival.
Nigel Reed, Weymouth BID Manager said “The BID hopes this will be the first of many projects that by working in partnership with other organisations that additional funding, outside of the levy, can help to deliver the BID’s aims. These joint ventures will add benefit to businesses and in this case, the local community, through local schools involvement”.
The project brings together a partnership between the Weymouth BID, Roger Dalton Associates and Emerald Ant to work together on one of Weymouth’s favourite outdoor events. This year the Lanterns will focus on airborne Victorian Travelling Machines.
Taking wild and wacky Victorian Invention as the inspiration, they aim to create a myriad of 150 illuminated, colourful worn “travelling” apparatus attached to the body; propeller hats, buoyancy floats and winged flying machines, made by primary school children. Secondary schools will produce around six 4-5 foot wide air-born structures; highly patterned zeppelins, hot air balloons and airships, raised around 10 foot into the air, carried on backpacks or by several students. The designs will be ultra-unusual, carrying tiny cities or ships, with wings and sails.
The team will be working closely with their media partners to encourage families to create their own simple ‘flying lantern’ made at home, made from plastic bottles, torches and tissue paper and join in with the parade. It is hoped that a professional processional band will also join the spectacle.
The project will have up to seven schools involved; five primary schools and two secondary schools; groups of children and young people will work in teams to create large structures, developing skills in 3D construction and art, before performing on the parade. The theme will be Victorian Travelling Machines, which will inspire schools to learn about the Victorian Age of Invention and we will encourage schools to engage in research prior to our workshops.
Victorian Shownight will take place on Friday 5th December launching with the spectacular children’s lantern parade starting in Hope Square then moving along the old harbour into St Marys Street and finally New Bond Street to launch the “Lighting Up Ceremony” of the Town’s Christmas Lights with the Mayor of Weymouth & Portland, The Weymouth BID, Sponsors & the Weymouth Pantomime characters.
On Saturday 6th December Santa arrives on his Norwegian Sleigh pulled by two reindeer to his new festive “Grotto on the Green” at St Marys Church. The two day event will be supported by an events programme including a synthetic ice rink, carol singing by local choirs, local Rock Choir; Salvation Army; Music, Marching Bands and a Christmas Food & Gift Market.
· Ice Skating
· Children’s Lantern Parade
· Lighting Up Ceremony
· Santa and reindeer
· In Store Events and Demonstrations
· Competitions – Best Dressed Victorian Costume
– Best Dressed Christmas Window
Sponsors play a very important part in the Christmas Festival and so far we are very pleased to have two Silver Sponsors on board, the Weymouth & Portland Chamber of Commerce and Battens Solicitors. Dream Cottages have joined us as a category sponsor and there are still other business sponsorship opportunities available guaranteeing Media, PR and marketing exposure for businesses. The GOLD sponsorship package is also available.
If you would like to know more about becoming a Christmas Festival Sponsor, stall holder or supporter of the Christmas Festival, please get in touch with Roger Dalton Roger Dalton at [email protected] or call 07899 978104 or visit www.WeymouthBid.co.uk.
To find out more about Events in Weymouth visit www.WeAreWeymouth.co.uk or Follow us on Twitter @WeAreWeymouthUK or Facebook WeAreWeymouthUK
Weymouth BID office 15 St Alban Street, Weymouth Dorset 01305 779410
Press Enquiries to Popcorn Marketing 01305 774629 email [email protected]
