The full programme of events has been published for a brand new outdoor arts festival launched in Corby this summer. Commissioned by Made in Corby and co-produced by The Core at Corby Cube, Grow 2018 takes place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July.
Inspired by the theme of water, the festival will animate Corby’s town centre with performances, experiences and workshops throughout the weekend, creating an imaginary water-filled world of adventure, with storytelling, performances and music. Visitors will uncover hidden surprises as they sail through the woods to a family area submerged by the Boating Lake.
Among the highlights will be the intriguing Colourscape installation by the lake, hosting musicians and dancers, inside a multi-sensory experience for all ages and abilities. On Saturday, people can also enter The Whale, a true-to-life size inflatable sperm whale with a lavishly decorated seascape interior and many a tale to tell. A brand new sound composition on the theme of water, Shimmer, can be found on the path through the woods to the boating lake.
Street performers throughout Saturday and Sunday daytimes include Avanti Display’s The Spurting Man, breath-taking bubble sculptures from The Bubble Wizard, comic show Dick Danger, Bill and Bobby’s tipsy tribute to the dancing partnerships of the silver screen, and spectacular acrobatics and dance theatre in Acrojou’s Frantic with its joyous finale danced in the pouring rain.
At 6.30pm on Saturday evening, the talented Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band will lead everyone, including an invasion of Jellyfish made in workshops during the day, in a parade through the woods to the Boating Lake, where the spectacular Music of the Spheres will be found floating on the water, providing an ethereal music and aerial dance display from 7pm.
On Sunday from 11am till 5pm James Ashworth VC Square is the setting for the inaugural Grow Festival People’s Stage, featuring local musicians, choirs, community groups and spoken word artists, including Deep Roots Tall Trees, Chuck the Poet and indie-rock band The Modern Age.
This year’s festival is presented in association with Anglian Water, a partnership designed to highlight the environmental and sustainability issues around the growing need for water. Over the weekend in The Water Zone Anglian Water will be offering fun and informative activities, including the chance to find out how to use water wisely with the Water Magician.
A full schedule of events and times can be found on the website www.growcorby.co.uk and a printed leaflet and map will be available. People can also download the free Grow Festival app from the Apple Store or Google Play, to help them explore the festival trail and be in with the chance to win an iPad.
Grow 2018 is the first of a series of three annual outdoor festivals commissioned by Made in Corby as part of The Creative People and Places programme funded by Arts Council England through the National Lottery.
