A big birthday bonanza will be hitting the right notes with fun for all communities when Coventry’s Creative Quarter celebrates its special anniversary next month.
FarGo Village is finalising its Big Birthday Weekender programme in the countdown to its tenth birthday celebrations which will take place from Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29.
Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants scheme has given FarGo Village in Far Gosford Street funding for the community programme while Towergate Insurance and Zenith Contract Services Ltd, which provide its insurance and cleaning services, have provided sponsorship.
There will be a mix of performances from musicians as well as family shows and activities at FarGo Village which is renowned for its creative, independent businesses.
The weekend will get underway with a House & House tech event on Friday, September 27 – the date that FarGo Village officially opened in 2014 – at 10pm, with tickets costing £3.
On Saturday 28th, there will be music from Batsch, Project Overload, Duck Thieves, Special Brew, The Bellows, Bobbie Dazzle and The Primitives who will be heard from 2pm in The Box, a 500-capacity music, conference and events venue.
There will also be performances from Highly Sprung, a Do Touch Sensory installation and multi-skilled performer Stilt Man, who will be mingling with visitors throughout the site.
Among the highlights of the Big Birthday Weekender will be a Q&A conversation at the Just Dropped In record store led by Graham Duff when he will be joined by musical legends The Dirt Road Bands’ Horace Panter from The Specials, Steve Walwyn (best known for playing with Dr Feelgood) and Ted Duggan, drummer for Badinger and Banco De Gaia.
The trio will discuss some of the high, low and hilarious points of their decades in the music business at 6pm on September 29 at Just Dropped In at The Box, which will be followed by Coventry Poet Laureate, John Bernard, and The Dirt Road Band will then be taking to the stage in The Box to perform.
Earlier on September 29, there will be music performed by Amit Dattani, Willow Taiwo, Clemency, and The Swaps along with performances from The Last Baguette theatre company, a Do Touch Sensory installation and drumming workshops with Bakayoko music and lots of art and crafts with Artventurer.
There will also be a wide range of food and drink available throughout the site including Esmie’s, Box N Bar, and Morgan’s ice cream.
Holly Hewitt, Manager at FarGo Village, which was created by regeneration specialists Complex Development Projects (CDP), said the Big Birthday Weekender was a perfect opportunity to showcase the best of local music and creativity with a combination of family-friendly events.
“Our birthday celebrations will be a great chance to listen to live music, featuring classic tunes across a variety of genres, along with watching entertaining performances and installations,” she said.
“FarGo Village has always prided itself on its inclusive, creative, independent nature and the programme of events reflects this.
“We are now counting down to a special time in our history and the events are all free or at a low cost so that all members of our community can come along and join in the fun.”
Visitors are asked to make donations to FarGo Village’s charity partner Coventry and Warwickshire Mind for the free music events, and tickets to attend the evening events can be booked at https://www.fargovillage.co.uk/whats-on