Newport’s Free family street theatre festival, Big Splash, will return on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July 2018, thanks to funding from Newport Live, the Arts Council of Wales and Newport City Council, and sponsorship from Friars Walk, Kingsway Centre, Newport NOW and Western Power Distribution.
The weekend will feature dare-devil acts, immersive experiences and plenty of laughs, as over fifty performances pop up in six main zones and one micro zone across the city centre to create one gigantic outdoor stage. With a festival line-up that will feature over twenty performing companies from all over the UK, including Thrill Laboratory, Le Navet Bête, Kapow Dance, Taking Flight, and Newport’s own Mr and Mrs Clark, audiences can expect everything from slapstick sketches to surreal storytelling, as well as dance, live music and hilarious walkabouts.
Fun at The Big Splash Festival which takes place in Newport on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July 2018
The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre will be the main festival hub, offering a wide range of free workshops and activities across the weekend. Meanwhile, most Big Splash performances will take place across six other zones at five locations: Friars Walk, Kingsway Shopping Centre, the Newport NOW zone along Commercial Street, the River Walkway zone between The Riverfront and the University, and a smaller performance zone at Horton’s Coffee House, on the other side of the pedestrian bridge.
Over 10,000 visitors enjoyed the sights and sounds of Big Splash in 2017, and organisers are confident that this year’s high-octane programme will be just as effective at entertaining the families of Newport and getting them into the perfect summer mood.
Olivia Harris, Creative Producer at Newport Live, said: “The Big Splash is now in its eighth year thanks to the fantastic support it’s received from the local community and funders. The city centre is always buzzing during the festival, and we can’t wait to see what the amazing group of performers has in store for us this year. We’d love the people of Newport to get involved – come and join in with the fun!”
Inviting The Neighbours Around to Paint Maindee Photo Marega Palser
- To find out more about Big Splash, including line-up updates and schedules for the weekend, visit http://www.bigsplashnewport.com. You can also follow Big Splash on Twitter (@BigSplashFest) and like the Facebook page (facebook.com/bigsplashnewport).
- Families can also get involved in Big Splash ahead of the weekend by taking the Big Splash quiz (bigsplashnewport.com/quiz) and taking part in related activities during May Half Term.