Free Royal Street Party & Family Rave Come To Lancaster’s Williamson Park
Highest Point Announces Free Daytime Activities For The Whole Family. As Highest Point Festival arrives in Lancaster’s Williamson Park from the 18th – 20th May it is bringing with it more than just big-name headline acts. Between 9am and 3pm on the Saturday and Sunday, the park will be brought to life with a programme of free family-friendly activities, music and entertainment. Just head to highestpoint.co.uk/daytime to secure your free ticket.
Highest Point has joined up with Deco Publique, the team behind amazing events such as Vintage By The Sea and The National Festival of Making, to put together a massive street party to celebrate the much-awaited nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan. The Royal I Do, a wedding party to end all wedding parties, will invite festival goers to put on their hats and join together for royal jellies, origami fascinators, flower bombs, Las Vegas-style eloping, brass band rave tunes and the Queen’s paper corgis!
Hosted by a vivacious master of ceremonies and dancing tea ladies, a series of creative and light-hearted ‘wedding moments’ and creative workshops are set to entertain little princes and princesses whilst families can watch the big day on the large screen with the ‘Grandest Memorial in the Country’, Ashton Memorial, as the backdrop.
Families are then invited to pull up a pew at the dinner table for a unique wedding breakfast available from the park cafe and specialist food vans, whilst a resident Elvis prepares to join happy couples in unholy matrimony at a Las Vegas chapel. The afternoon will be finished off with an explosive bouquet of roses and a brass band ready to serenade the happy couple with the most memorable dance & rave tunes.
As if that wasn’t enough, crowds will be wowed with live music on the Chris Glaba Memorial Stage throughout both afternoons. Carefully curated by BBC Introducing, the line-up is full of the North West’s hottest new acts such as, Morecambe indie new wave Amber Suns, four piece indie rock outfit Sauce, Preston rockers Building Giants and a talent beyond his 14 years of age, James Jackson.
For the party animals, Big Fish Little Fish will be hosting family raves all weekend. With creative and exciting music, it promises to be a dance party for the post-rave generation of parents and kids.
Families can then take part in interactive theatre experiences with performances from Pif Paf Theatre bringing their spectacular visuals and unique and breathtaking shows from TurnAround Dance Theatre.
Marching to a different beat, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners will be bringing a brass twist to Madchester classics – if visitors don’t think they like marching bands then this group are likely to change their minds!
For something a little calmer, Williamson Park’s wonderful Butterfly house will be free to enter all weekend. Guests can walk amongst some of the world’s most beautiful species, including brilliant swallowtails, and cleverly camouflaged owl butterflies within a natural habitat. Visitors will also be able to visit the Williamson Park Zoo and say hello to and resident meerkats, mini beasts and birds.
The fun continues with a selection of classic cars, a host of walking performers, storytellers, music and craft workshops, magic shows and face painting and refreshments will be available for all alongside further bands and DJs in The Waterfall Beer Hall.
The activities are all completely free to all guests but they must pre-register for a daytime ticket at www.highestpoint.co.uk/daytime
Jamie Scahill, Director of Highest Point Festival says; “We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to celebrate Highest Point Festival’s arrival and a way of us giving back to the city. The daytime entertainment is for all the family and visitors are guaranteed to find something fun whether there are 8 or 80!”
The local council have been integral in supporting the festival coming to the city with Beth Nortley, Public Realm Supervisor for Williamson Park, saying; “We are very excited to be hosting the inaugural Highest Point Festival and to be able to welcome some of the biggest names in the music business to the beautiful grounds of Williamson Park. As well as the stellar line-up of acts in the evening we’re delighted that the festival has chosen to create a family festival atmosphere during the daytime, providing free entertainment for our regular park goers.”
Full Daytime Line-up:
The Royal I Do: Still waiting for your invite to the Royal Wedding? Take a deep breath. It’s not lost in the post as Highest Point have cooked up a wedding party to end all wedding parties and you’re (actually) invited! Live screening of the big day, complete with a cast of consummate comperes, unusual ushers and awesome activities.
BBC Introducing Stage: Some of the most exciting and up and coming bands and artists around will keep you entertained all day.
Big Fish, Little Fish: The world famous baby rave hits Lancaster with Chad Jackson & friends on the decks.
Mr Wilson’s Second Liners: The anarchic extravaganza of a band will be rallying impromptu raves in all corners of the parks across the weekend.
Free entry to the Butterfly House all weekend: No cash required to see the wonderful butterfly house, mini zoo, beast house and monkeys.
Waterfall Beer Hall: Williamson’s Park very own beer hall with DJs and bands playing all day.
Street Food & Licensed Bars: Interactive Theatre Shows / Walkabout Performers / Storytellers / Music & Craft Workshops / Magic Shows / Face Painting & lots lots more…
Revellers who want to continue into the evening on Saturday and Sunday can purchase tickets to see the big name acts such as Ocean Colour Scene, Hacienda Classical and Huey Morgan’s NYC Block Party feat Huey Morgan (Fun Lovin Criminals), Rae Morris, Bondax and lots more.
Tickets start at £40 per evening to full weekend tickets full weekend tickets at £100, they are on sale now from Skiddle and www.highestpoint.co.uk.
For more information on the festival and line-up visit Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/highestpointfestival.
£1 of every ticket sold will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support in remembrance of the Skiddle team member Chris Glaba who lost his battle with cancer in 2016.
