A carnival of music, arts, crafts and street performances will descend on St Helens town centre later this month as part of a headline event to mark St Helens’ year as the Liverpool City Region’s Borough of Culture
Featuring a range of local and regional talent, including the award-winning UC Crew; Haydock Brass Band; dance group, Watch this Space; St Helens Concert Band and Birchley St Mary’s School Choir, ‘One Amazing Day’ has been organised by St Helens Borough Council and produced by Walk the Plank, one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts organisations.
The free family-friendly event will also include a number of not-to-be-missed stage shows and street walk about acts, like acrobatic cats, tapdancing canaries and a giant chicken which will be hard to miss anyway – while acknowledging St Helens Borough’s rich heritage through a peddle-powered Stephenson’s Rocket train as a nod to the Rainhill Trails, and glass making to highlight St Helens’ influence as a world leader in glass production.
Meanwhile, a parade made up of local schools, organisations and community groups will really get the party started on a full day dedicated to celebrating the very best of the borough.
The ‘Amazing’ theme, to recharge the creative energy of St Helens, was conjured up by the renowned artist/performer/director and broadcaster Roger Hill while in collaboration with St Helens College performing and visual art students. Working with the students since January 2023 on Recharged (part of the Creative Underground National Lottery Heritage Fund project with St Helens Borough Council Library Service), Roger revisited the vibrant creative St Helens of 1982-1995 with the students, who created their own artworks on the ‘Amazing’ theme. Visitors to One Amazing Day are invited to view some of the new artwork, see archive films and photograph from the St Helens creative scene (82-95) and share their own memories of this period with Redock Artist Collective.
To celebrate St Helens Borough of Culture, Roger has also written a new song to be showcased on One Amazing Day. While the world gets excited about the imminent Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Liverpool in May, St Helens has quietly been producing its own celebration in song. ‘Do Amazing With Me’ is the “Song For St Helens” written by Roger and produced in collaboration with St Helens Borough Council Music Service.
As part of One Amazing Day, The World of Glass will provide a free glass blowing demonstration at 3pm and The Book Stop, St Helens will host their very own Heritage Day including activities, give-aways and competitions.
Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Communities and Culture, said: “One Amazing Day is one of the headline attractions on a packed calendar of events for our year as Borough of Culture, with celebrating local talent as well as the individuals, groups and organisations that go out of their way to make our borough a better place right at the very heart of what the day is about.
“It’s sure to be a great day – in fact, literally one amazing day – so bring the family down and enjoy some free top-quality entertainment – one of many events taking place throughout the year as we celebrate our Borough of Culture status in style.”
Councillor Burns added: “We hope you will come along and sing along to our new song for St Helens ‘Do Amazing With Me.’
“As always, we are very grateful to our funders Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund (thanks to Lottery players), Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and UK Shared Prosperity Fund, that are enabling us to celebrate as St Helens Borough of Culture.
“Quite fittingly on the same day, tying in with the theme of one amazing day, local man Ian Cummings will attempt to break a world record at Saints’ Totally Wicked Stadium after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. Ian is an inspiration and if you’re in a position to do so, please help by donating to such a worthy cause.”
One Amazing Day will take place in St Helens town centre on Saturday 29 April between 10:30am-5:00pm.
For more information and to view a full programme of Borough of Culture events, visit:
www.culturesthelens.co.uk
