It’s time for a party! Lichfield Festival celebrates its 40th birthday with an 11-day event and, as always, there’s a lot on offer.
It’s a chance to try something new, enjoy a picnic on the cathedral lawn, entertain the children, and generally soak up the festival vibe.
Since the first event in 1982, the Festival has brought a parade of wonderful artists and musicians – as well as audiences national and local – to the beautiful cathedral city.
There’s a nod to the ‘80s in several of this year’s events along with stunning headline acts and a trademark mix of music, drama, dance, comedy, literature and events for the whole family. And there’s also plenty to enjoy for free, including a very special Day of Dance on Sunday 10 July at Beacon Park, part of Lichfield Dances, in association with Lichfield Fuse Festival.
There will be lots to enjoy throughout the day, with five dance experts giving inspiring workshops in a wide range of exciting dance styles. Begin with simple rhythmic moves of Indian folk dance to form a stunning routine with Priya Sundar, or learn the basic elements of street styles with Fusion dance – super cool for kids and adults alike.
Lola Adodo of new Dance Scopes creates a fun and energetic session combining her unique style of African dance forms with Afro influenced music. Explore the American roots, rhythms and music of tap dance with Rebecca Jayne, for complete beginners or seasoned toe-tappers (tap shoes not essential!) or learn the basics of the latest Olympic sport – hip hop – in an invigorating and engaging session from HelloHipHop.
In between, the creative talents of local schoolchildren will be on show. It’s the result of a project in which Lichfield Festival teamed three schools with three local dance professionals to co-create a performance on the theme of Celebration.
Day of Dance gets underway at 12 noon (Sunday 10 July) in the Momentum Marquee and all the sessions are inclusive and open to absolutely everyone regardless of age or ability. Attend as many as you like, it’s all free!
And to round off the 40th anniversary with a bang, the Festival Firework Display is back after a 10-year absence. So, head to Beacon Park at 10pm on Saturday 16 July for the perfect Festival finale.
Lichfield Festival 2022 runs from 7-17 July. Headline acts include Tony Hadley, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Ballet Cymru, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, The Longest Johns and Zoe Lyons.