NORTHWICH is to get its very own moon as part of an international dance and street arts festival next month.
The Now Northwich Festival, put on by Winsford’s Cheshire Dance and partners, is to return on April 30.
A key event in the Cheshire calendar, this year’s Now Northwich festival promises 12 hours of dance, acrobatics, street performances, live music, interactive workshops and artisan food and drink from The Plaza along Witton Street, across Barons Quay sites and all the way to Apple Market Place.
This year, visitors can stumble upon EKO – a giant crawling sea creature – meander through a honey-perfumed bee colony, step into a floral biodome and be mesmerised by mythical migrating birds.
Producers have also announced there will be flamboyant dance riots with acro, urban, Brazilian and African twists, drum-tastic performances, immersive experiences and even journeys to the moon.
Creative director Jane McLean said: “Until now, Covid has kept us away – but on April 30 we return bigger and bolder than ever with 18 performance and installation pieces by 11 different companies.
“From 11am until dusk, eight different sites will come alive with acrobatics, dance and street shows for the whole family.
“There’s also a specially-commissioned Northwich community film screening on a loop, six hours of live music, no less than five processional pieces from two of our companies and a three-day showstopper.”
Headlining Now Northwich 2022 will be ‘Museum of the Moon’ – a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram in The Plaza.
Measuring seven metres in diameter, this installation features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface.
Opening times to visit Museum of the Moon over the Bank Holiday weekend will be announced nearer the time, but Now Northwich has revealed it will be offering three special lunar-inspired sessions on April 30 – Yoga Under the Moon, Quiet Time at The Moon and Bedtime Stories Under the Moon.
Adam Holloway, director at Cheshire Dance added: “We are very conscious that although the world has reopened since the pandemic, there are many people out there that are still vulnerable and many that remain anxious of large crowds and Covid-19.
“It is for this reason that our two processional pieces for audiences to watch along the route will run at various times throughout the day and our headline piece 'Museum of the Moon' will be open to visitors during the whole Bank Holiday weekend to limit over-crowding.”
Now Northwich will once again host a Family Zone – this year, along Weaver Point Way – and will offer a number of exciting free workshops for families.
Northwich library will have drop-in opportunities for arts and crafts activities, and artisanal food and drink will be on offer from local businesses.
Now Northwich 2022 is part of the Reopening and Recovery Programme, funded by the Government's Additional Restrictions Grant to Cheshire West and Chester Council.
Additional investment comes from Arts Council England, Northwich Town Council, Northwich BID, Barons Quay, Charcoalblue, Encirc and via Cheshire West and Chester Council members' budgets.
Now Northwich (part of the Without Walls Touring Partnership Network) is produced by Cheshire Dance in collaboration with Cheshire West and Chester Council, Northwich Town Council, Northwich BID and Barons Quay.
Visit nownorthwich.co.uk.
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