Derby Folk Festival Returns To City Centre
Derby’s Cathedral Quarter and St Peters Quarter are sponsoring Derby Folk Festival for a second year in succession with both areas once again playing host to a variety of street entertainment. .
Dance displays will be held by various groups led by Folk 3D, in both areas on Saturday October 3 and Sunday October 4 between 10am and 3pm.
The displays join a wide range of acts at the Market Place marquee, Guildhall Theatre, the Old Bell Hotel and Derby Cathedral.
Visitors to the Cathedral Quarter now come to expect high quality entertainment on the historic streets thanks to the innovative CQ Saturdays programme of entertainment which have included open air markets, music, street theatre and circus acts throughout the summer. Live acts and an arts and crafts fair continue on the third Saturday of the month throughout Autumn and Winter months.
Martin Langsdale, chair of Cathedral Quarter Board, which drives forward activities under the area’s Business Improvement (BID) status, explained: “The groups animating the streets as part of Derby Folk Festival will be a welcome addition to the CQ Saturdays programme which the BID organises in partnership with local arts organisations.
“We are particularly delighted that the Folk Festival has returned to the city centre this year with performances in the marquee on the Market Place, the Guildhall Theatre, the Old Bell Hotel in Sadler Gate and, for the first time at Derby Cathedral.
“The closure of the Assembly Rooms could have been a major challenge for this popular annual event so we commend the festival organisers for expanding performances into other fantastic spaces within the Cathedral Quarter.”
Meanwhile, St Peters Quarter, which is the core retail area between Cathedral Quarter and Intu Derby shopping centre, has also developed a street entertainment programme at key places in the area.
These include River Lights and St Peter’s Cross at the junction of St Peter’s Street, St Peter’s Churchyard and East Street which is now a popular performance space following a £1 million regeneration to provide new paving, lighting and seating.
Stephen Jeffery, chair of St Peters Quarter Board, added: “Our St Peters Quarter Live street entertainment programme has been well received by visitors over the past year and we look forward to welcoming a host of dance groups over the Folk Festival weekend.
“Derby Folk Festival draws in visitors from far and wide and I hope that they will take this opportunity to explore the hidden gems in St Peters Quarter throughout the weekend.”
Details on the full festival programme are available at www.derbyfolkfestival.co.uk