Page 16 - NLP244603 "NE Volume" Magazine (56pp 240 x 170 self cover)

CULTURE SPOTLIGHT AUGUST 2022
SIRF FESTIVAL
2022 STOCKTON
The streets of Stockton will be alive
with the weird, wonderful, strange and
spectacular as it welcomes the 35th
International Riverside Festival. Expect
the unexpected during four amazing days
of world-class large-scale and intimate street
art performances from companies from across
the globe. SIRF is truly one of the highlights in the
street theatre calendar with something for everyone
in a jam-packed programme of free shows. After a two-year hiatus, it returns from Thursday 4th to Sunday
7th August and, as always, it promises to be a riot of colour and noise. The launch show, Tawa, by French arts company Gratte Ciel, will see acrobats fill the Stockton sky as they soar to the music. Don’t miss it. As well as welcoming international street theatre artists, SIRF also puts the community at the heart of the festival and Stockton High Street is always lined with spectators for the SIRF Community Carnival. This year, it takes place on the Sunday, and the theme is ‘Everything Under the Sun’. Hundreds of young people, community groups, musicians and performers will take part in a vibrant procession through the town centre to the Riverside for a day-long celebration. And new for this year is SIRF Green, the perfect place to grab a bite to eat in between shows. Stalls selling everything from brownies to cocktails and Korean food to flapjacks will be available throughout
the festival on the corner of Bishop Street and Thistle Green. So, grab some street food, refill your water bottles at the free water station, and chill out on the Green. There is even live entertainment to enjoy as you sample the
food and drinks. Children and families can
also enjoy Ear Trumpet by Gobbledegook.
Ear Trumpet is about listening and hearing the
noises that you would miss if you didn’t listen
for them. This playful interactive installation
invites people of all ages to listen to music
through ear trumpets fashioned from euphoniums
and brass instruments. And Tees Barrage provides
the backdrop to a special show thanks to a partnership between SIRF and the Canal and River Trust. To celebrate the Trust's 10th anniversary, visitors can enjoy Harmonic Fields by Lieux Publics. This is an ambitious installation of 500 wind instruments, creating a fantastic and unique musical experience for audiences as they navigate through the landscape. So, pick up a programme, head into Stockton and prepare to have your senses dazzled with the magic that is SIRF. EMMA CHESWORTH
Visit: sirf.co.uk
The streets of Stockton will be alive with the weird, wonderful, strange and spectacular
16 \\ NE VOLUME MAGAZINE \\ CULTURE SPOTLIGHT