One of the oldest arts festivals in England. Held annually since 1824 and able to trace its roots back further to 1772. Initially conceived as a fund-raising event for Norwich hospital with a classical music event. In recent years, the programme has diversified to include circus performance, contemporary music, dance and visual arts.
The Norfolk & Norwich Festival is on for seventeen days in May.
There are loads of free events to enjoy as the N&N Festival, transforms the city streets, public spaces, performance venues, parks, forests and beaches throughout the county – bringing people together to experience the same brilliant and inspirational events.
To find out more about FREE to attend events click here
EVENTS TO ATTEND
There are a few ticketed events with places to fill.
BBC SINGERS
The BBC Singers are joined by saxophonist and composer Christian Forshaw and conductor Owain Park in a celebratory programme for the N&N Festival. This year is the 400th Anniversary of William Byrd’s passing so the programme – a truly choral feast includes Byrd’s Movements from The Great Service and Ave Verum Corpus which are bracketed by pieces from Tallis, Hildegard von Bringen and Roderick Williams.
To find out more and to book tickets click here
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Norwich (26 May, 7.30PM)
ALFA MIST
Alfa Mist is a British musician, producer, song-writer and MC based in Newham. His music mixes hip-hop and club tropes with jazz improvisation. He describes his music as ‘Dark, alternative jazz with elements of hip-hop and soul’.
First teaching himself to produce beats as a schoolkid in East Ham, London, Alfa then went on to discover jazz through the sampling of hip-hop of producers like Hi-tek, Madlib and J Dilla. Delving deeper, he taught himself the piano by ear to dissect these formative records’ harmonic intricacies, gradually forming his own production style of head-nodding rhythms combined with the immediacy of jazz improvisation, all tied together with a pervasive sense of melody.
To find out more and to book tickets, click here
St. Andrew’s & Blackfriar’s Hall, Norwich (Runs 20 May, 8.00PM)
LE COUP
Chelsea McGuffin & Co, legendary creator of fantastical circus shows Scotch & Soda and Cantina, storm Norwich for the first time with international hit Le Coup.
Enter a neo-vaudeville speakeasy, where it’s fight night at the circus. Join a ragtag troupe of travelling misfits as they compete and challenge each other with amazing circus skills, fire breathing, daring aerial feats, tap dancing and acrobatics. Let the Boss show you the ropes as The King of the Ring, Sally the Ally Cat, The Bookie, Bloody Mary, and Fred put on a real show. Grab a drink, place your bets and pull up a seat ringside for a fight like no other!
Le Coup is a tribute to funfairs, boxing troupes and the showmen and women of yesteryear, accompanied by a ferocious live soundtrack from bluegrass band Father Grant and The Blunt Objects. Chelsea McGuffin & Co have gained a reputation for creating visceral vaudevillian worlds in which acrobatics, magic, dance, and live music entwine for a scintillatingly visceral entertainment experience.
To find out more and to book tickets, click here
Adnams Spiegeltent, Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich (Runs 28 May, 5.30pm)
B.C.U.C.
South African afro-psychedelic future pop sextet Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness bring indigenous funk, hiphop consciousness and punk rock energy from Soweto to the Adnams Spiegeltent.
To find out more and to book tickets, click here
Adnams Spiegeltent, Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich (Runs 25 May, 10pm)
ANNE BEAN: IN SEARCH OF THE MIRACULOUS
The village of Walsingham is known for a miraculous happening which provides a unique context for artists. Works of painting, moving image, installation and sculpture will appear at sites in the village across this Spring Bank Holiday.
On Saturday 27 May, join as ‘pilgrims’ and be led through Walsingham, encountering performances, actions, and demonstrations. This special day-long event will create a basis for shared dialogue, conviviality, and reflection ‘in search of the miraculous.’ The event and exhibition feature works and offerings by Anne Bean, Anna Brass, Ansuman Biswas, selina bonelli, Oona Grimes, Poppy Jackson, Joan Key, Scilla Landale, Reverend Gyoro Nagase, Holly Slingsby, Candide Turner Bridger and Richard Wilson RA.
For more information and instructions on how to get to Walsingham click here
Exhibitions and public works in the village. Collect a programme and map from the Parish Hall
(Runs Friday 26 May to Sunday 29 May. 12pm till 6pm)
Pilgrimage ‘In Search of the Miraculous’. Starting from Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of our Lady. (Runs Saturday 27 May. 12:30 till 8pm)
CITY OF LITERATURE WEEKEND
The National Centre of Writing has produced a weekend of lectures and events in conjunction with the Norfolk & Norwich Festival
Amongst the poetry, an anthology launch, and the annual Harriet Martineau Lecture with Charlotte Higgins, there are also sessions from Caleb Azuman Nelxon and Jyoti Patel discussing their new books and, writer and author, Gavin Francis examines the life and writing of Norwich-based physician, writer and polymath; Sir Thomas Browne.
You can also drop in on the City of Literature Publishing Fair.
To find out more and to book for ticketed events, click here
NORFOLK
During your visit to Norwich – take the opportunity to explore the Norfolk countryside and a combine your visit with a trip out to the North Norfolk coast or East coast or enjoy the delights of the unique Norfolk Broads.
The Norfolk countryside, with the unique Norfolk Broads and the North Norfolk Coast, is stunning. You can go for a walk on beautiful Blue Flag Award-winning beaches, take a boat out on the Broads, visit one of Norfolk’s many stately homes or even make a trip to see the largest seal colony in England, all less than an hour’s drive from Norwich.
For more cultural events in Norfolk and Suffolk, visit Head East regional culture tourism campaign blogs and more:
visiteastofengland.com/head-east.
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