Exciting new season of events revealed for Tamworth

Fireworks, Christmas lights, a special visit from Peter Rabbit, Remembrance parades, an attack of art and music concerts are among the highlights of Tamworth Borough Council’s exciting new season of events.

The 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 Touring Theatre - bringing theatre to local venues; Assembly Rooms on Tour - taking some of the theatre’s favourite performers out into community locations; and popular seasonal outdoor events.

Tamworth Arts and Events also continue to focus on art activities as part of the Arts in Unusual Spaces project, funded by Arts Council England.  Art Attack is part of The Big Draw Festival 2018, which is returning to towns all over the UK.

The world’s biggest drawing festival was brought to the town for the first time last year and Tamworth Borough Council’s Arts & Events team were proudly honoured with the ‘Community, Participatory and Libraries Award’, sponsored by The Arts Society, for an ‘outstanding event’ that brought the town centre to life with art and creativity last October.

Free arts activities with professional artists and illustrators will be available for all ages on October 6. So if you’re a budding artist or a complete novice, come along and join in with a jam-packed programme of art including ultra violet painting of shapes and images. This year’s theme - ‘Play’ will be taken to the extreme with electrical car print making and hand painting.

The rest of the new season begins on October 13, as Tamworth Assembly Rooms continues ‘On Tour’ at Landau Forte Academy with an evening of popular songs performed by the Mercian Singers Concert. Special guests Aimee Louise School of Dance will join the mixed choir for a guaranteed evening of talented entertainment.

Next on the programme is a ‘Touring Theatre’ performance of a memorising musical delight when The Bookshop Band visits St Francis Church, Leyfields, on October 27. Ben Porter and Ben Please bring books to the stage along with a multitude of instruments. Their distinct voices create a cinematic sound that draws the audience right in to a highly intimate and often funny performance. The songs are the musical outpouring of the band’s own response to books they have read, delicately crafted to four-minute folk-pop songs.

New to this season’s programme is a multi-winning theatre company –TACT, who will perform on November 9 and 10th at Birch Coppice Club, Watling Street, with a cabaret-style play – Teechers. Fast moving and highly entertaining, Teechers evokes life at a modern school as a new drama teacher progresses through two terms of unruly classes, cynical colleagues and obstructive caretakers. Audiences will be served a school-style packed lunch during the interval.

Outdoor entertainment starts this season with the return of the Fireworks Extravaganza on November 3. A breath-taking display of pyrotechnics, accompanied by fire performers, face painting, fun fair and food stalls for the whole family to enjoy. The firework display will start at the new time, as voted by the public, of 7pm.

A special ‘We Will Remember’ service takes place on November 11 at the War Memorial, St Editha’s Church and the Castle Grounds. Join a day of Remembrance, parades, poppies, church services and choir performances. The parade will start at 10.45am from the Ladybridge, followed by the service and wreath laying at 11am. The parade will then continue to make its way towards the Castle Grounds where marchers will be greeted by a stunning display of more than 2,000 poppies cascading down the castle wall.

The poppy project, created by Tamworth Lady Meadow Women’s Institute, has involved the local community in transforming plastic bottles into an eye-catching poppy display.

The remembrance parade will finish on the Castle Grounds lower lawn where they will be joined by the harmonies of Tamworth’s local choirs. 

The popular annual Christmas Lights Festival is planned for November 25, promising a jam-packed day of festive fun for all the family. Activities will include fairground rides, treasure hunt, crafts, live music, Christmas market, walk about characters, dance performances and face painting. The festival, sponsored by Ankerside Shopping Centre, will also have a special guest - Peter Rabbit™ will be making appearances at intervals throughout the day and during the main event at 5pm when the lights are switched on; not forgetting Father Christmas who be joining in the fun and excitement.

The free annual festival is one of the highlights of Tamworth’s impressive calendar of outdoor events organised by Tamworth Borough Council’s Arts & Events team in partnership with Ankerside Shopping Centre and draws thousands of visitors from across the country.

Christmas cheer will warm everyone’s hearts on December 5 at St Editha’s Church. Tamworth Assembly Rooms ‘On Tour’ presents Tamworth Voices, in aid of The Mayor’s Charity. This event is a traditional Christmas concert with a twist on contemporary songs and anthems that will get everyone high spirited and feeling festive.  This will be followed by the return of The Mercian Singers on December 15 at Wilnecote Parish Hall, for an evening of seasonal festive songs.

The programme would not be complete without the spectacular Christmas pantomime. This year Tamworth Pantomime Company presents Dick Whittington on December 13 – 23 at Landau Forte Academy QEMS. A guaranteed evening of fun and laughter, oh yes it is!

Cllr John Chesworth, Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Culture and Operational Services, said: “This is another great line up of events, with exciting features and popular festivities which have put Tamworth on the map in the recent years.

“Providing quality entertainment for our residents and to attract 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.