10,000 people take part in St George’s Day Celebrations

St George's Day

Mon 22 Apr 2013

Over 10,000 people enjoyed our St George’s Day celebrations on Saturday 20 April, throughout the city centre.

The City came alive with Morris dancing, a city parade, firewalk, a pageant, broom dancing, maypole dancing, a mass choir, flashmob ceilidh and a craft fair; all with lashings of English eccentricity.

The parade began at 11am with a dance workshop by Folk3D and a performance by the Cotswold Morris team Dolphin Morris at the Eagle Centre Market. The procession then picked up more dancers at Westfield shopping centre, where a rapper sword dance was performed by Stone Monkey Sword; Ouse Washes Molly wowed crowds at The Spot with their acrobatic broom dancing; and St Peter’s Cross was bustling with people watching Black Pig Border Morris, who joined the parade on its last leg to Derby’s Waterfall.

Other highlights included the most eccentrically English street café around from local theatre company Maison Foo, specially commissioned for the event; a hilarious St George’s Day pageant from Lostboys Theatre Company; a flash mob ceilidh where professional and novice dancers came together in the Market Place and there was hilarious Pantomime Jousting from the Bonsall Red Barrows.

Shakespeare’s 449th birthday was celebrated by 1623 Theatre Company who are local to Derby, performing scenes from Henry V and A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Market Place.

Pete Meakin, Creative Producer, Derby LIVE said:

"We're delighted that so many people joined in the St George’s Day celebrations. Working with many of our cultural partners, our aim was to celebrate 'Merrie Olde England' and our eccentricities, and thereby provide a platform to showcase some of the fabulous creative talent that Derby has."