One of the biggest annual street-fest events in the UK, Derby Festé has established a reputation for bringing something new to the city each year. And for 2019, it has taken its inspiration from space, the moon and tides.
Marking the 50thanniversary this year of the Apollo 11 moon landings, and coinciding with a new moon on September 28, Derby Festé this year has joined forces with Derby Cathedral to bring a breathtaking touring attraction to the city in the run-up to the city’s popular annual arts festival.
‘Museum of the Moon’ is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram, and will be installed in the majestic Derby Cathedral from September 16 for visitors to enjoy in the run up to, and throughout, Derby Festé which will return to the city’s streets on Friday 27 and Saturday 28, September.
Measuring seven metres in diameter, the moon features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 5km of the moon’s surface.
The installation is a fusion of lunar imagery, moonlight and surround sound composition created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello award-winning composer Dan Jones.
The installation is a key element of the Festé theme this year – ‘Space, Moon & Tides’.
Family-friendly Derby Festé is expected to attract more than 30,000 visitors into Derby, for a celebration of street entertainment – including dance, contemporary circus, music and comedy – top-class performers from across Europe.
The 2019 Derby Festé will kick off at 4.30pm on September 27 with a high-energy aerial performance of ‘Splash’ by integrated circus company Extraordinary Bodies on Cathedral Green. And, following that performance, everyone will be invited into Derby Cathedral for a special viewing of ‘Museum of the Moon’.
The finale of Friday evening will feature Dutch company, Close Act, in a parade of their giant futuristic silver creatures through the St Peters Quarter and Cathedral Quarter, finishing in the Market Place at 9pm. The procession will be a taster of Close Act’s Saturday night showcase performance of ‘Malaya’ at Bass’ Recreation Ground which will take the audience through a journey in time moving from dream-like tranquility to explosive nightmares.
The two-day festival is funded by Arts Council England and Derby City Council with sponsorship from Derby Cathedral, University of Derby, Cathedral Quarter and Intu Derby.
This year will mark the 13th appearance of Derby Festé, which was actually founded in 2007 to mark the opening of Westfield Shopping Centre in the city. This was followed in September 2008 by a second Festé event to mark both the launch of the Cultural Olympiad in the East Midlands and the opening of the city’s arts hub, QUAD. In 2009, Derby Festé became a stand-alone festival for the East Midlands and since then has had the ambition of developing into a major annual event.
For further information about Derby Festé, visit www.derbyfeste.com; and for tourist information www.visitderby.co.uk.