Barrow’s Festival of Colours is getting ready to return this spring.
People from across South Cumbria will be able to enjoy a day of festivities this April, celebrating the arts and culture of India and South Asia with creativity from Barrow and beyond.
BarrowFull and The Forum under the new Westmorland and Furness council will be hosting the event in the town’s forum and market areas on April 1.
Entertainment will include a mix of performances, creative workshops, live music and more.
Visitors will be able to watch Morris Dancing and puppetry and listen to musical performances and classical Japanese music as a nod to Japan’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival.
People will also be able to take part in circus and weaving workshops and a wide range of other arts and crafts workshops such as creating your own Marzanna – the Polish tradition of doing away with the Winter witch to welcome the Spring.
Professional acts such as three-piece band Another Mister and the Boom Dang Band will also be attending.
The event is free and suitable for all ages and last year’s event saw thousands of people – over of 10 per cent of Barrow’s population – come together to celebrate.
A visitor at last year’s festival said: “It was brilliant; really well organised and the team were so helpful at pointing directions or making sure you didn’t miss things. The kids loved the sheer variety of crafts on offer and bounced from table to table in between stopping to watch dancing and listen to music. Well done to all involved.
“It was colourful, the music was brilliant and all in all the sort of event we need more of.”
In the lead up to the public event, hundreds of local primary school children and older people from Age UK will take part in arts workshops with Korean artist, Woo Jin.
Daniel Tyler-McTighe, creative director of BarrowFull, said: “Last year’s A Festival of Colours was one of the highlights of our year and we are delighted to be partnering once again with The Forum and other local organisations to celebrate again with everyone in Barrow.
“We’re especially excited to be using the town’s beautiful Town Hall for some of the events – it’s an amazing space and we’re lucky to have it on our doorstep!”
The event sponsored by BAE Systems has been co-curated with local people whose ideas have shaped the programme.
