A record 17,000 visits were made to the Feel Good Family Picnic events at Limefield Playing Fields, Hare Hill Park, Rochdale Town Hall Square and Queen’s Park as the spaces were transformed into a wonderland of theatre, puppetry, circus, dance, storytelling, music, carnival, sports and more. With a theme reflecting ‘co-operation,’ covering the arts, culture, communities, togetherness, and the power of shared experiences, there were over 20 free different attractions each day at the events.
Outdoor shows were staged to packed audiences including Tit for Tat Circus who presented two shows. ‘Now I become D/Deaf’ was a visual spectacle, featuring a clown turning his own hearing loss into something extraordinary, tackling cultural boundaries and personal identity with moments of chaos, sincerity, interconnectivity and utter nonsense. The second - ‘A Knight Away’ featured Sir Kuss and his loyal squire on their well-deserved time off, with games, comedy and stupidity.
‘Stop Toi’ was a crowd pulling concert featuring two jugglers and a drummer with a crazy playlist, mixing smooth jazz with garage rock, throwing balls, twisting rings and performing crazy stunts.
Damoclès was a performance by Cirque Inextremiste exploring risk, trust, and collective co-operation, combining physical theatre with contemporary circus.
The storytelling tent was very busy with Rochdale’s M6 Theatre presenting their play ‘The Street Where I Live’ - exploring the warmth and diversity of a unique community, capturing the friendships, adventures and surprises that take place there. Frolicked Outdoor Theatre performed ‘The Alchemist’ – a light-hearted, magical, slightly-slapstick puppet show.
Each day a stunning carnival travelled around the parks with local performers led by international carnival arts company Global Grooves.
Tea Club celebrated Britain’s passion for tea and all things vintage with Trixie and Tilly serving drinks from their special musical trolley – dancing to their favourite gramophone records.
Music was provided by Flat Cap Brass, who played fun and friendly arrangements of popular nineties and noughties pop.
There was a special edition of the Teenage Market with stalls and performances at each event. The Teenage Market gives local young traders and performers aged between 13 and 25 years old a chance to showcase their creative products and talents.
Thingumajig Theatre presented two shows full of surprises, fun, music and heart-warming stories and Hope the Hedgehog, a larger-than-life puppet crafted from recycled materials, delighted and inspired all ages.
Skylight Circus Arts performed another range of spectacular feats including aerial tricks, stilt walking, juggling and clowning, with everyone invited to learn the skills led by professional circus artists.
Cartwheel Arts hosted craft workshops, inviting visitors to make bees and birds from repurposed and reused materials, reflecting the events commitment to environmental responsibility.
