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Freedom Festival pays tribute to William Wilberforce
by YourMail-Heather
about 1 month ago
in
City Centre
Last updated 6 days ago.
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Thursday, August 7
Hul is set to celebrate its status as the UK’s city of freedom with a free festival this month. Groundbreaking acts, well-known artists and unique performances, including a silent disco and a large-scale dance spectacular with water effects, will be heading to Hull on Saturday, August 30, the Mail can exclusively reveal.
The arts and music event, which will take place at three venues across the city, is called Freedom and pays tribute to Hull’s most famous son, anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce.
Tourism partnership organisation Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) has been working with Hull City Council to turn the Freedom dream in to a reality.
Janet Reuben, chief executive of VHEY, said the event aimed to build on the Wilberforce 2007 commemorations that marked 200 years since former Hull MP William Wilberforce was instrumental in passing the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.
She said: “This will be a fantastic event for the area.
“It is obvious Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery was very significant to the people of Hull.
“A survey revealed 84 per cent of Hull residents are very proud of their history and we wanted to work with that and organise something that all ages could enjoy.
“We wanted to build on what happened in last year’s commemorations, but make it more accessible and bring it to a wider audience.”
Headline acts are still to be announced, but the organisers promise there will be plenty of treats for all ages.
The Paddingtons are one of many acts performing in Queens Gardens, which will be transformed into a festival village from noon to 10.30pm with a live music stage and the silent disco – where dancers listen through headphones to different music.
Simon Webbe, formerly of Blue, will join Sweet Rebellion and others on the Freedom Stage in Queen Victoria Square, which opens from 1pm to 7pm.
In Trinity Square from 3pm to 8pm there will be a programme of family-friendly entertainment.
The festival is planned to be an annual event that aims to celebrate freedom in all of its forms.
Next year’s festival will mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of William Wilberforce.
Council leader Carl Minns said: “The Freedom event is great news for Hull. As well as providing a range of world-class entertainment for all ages, it will play an important role in bringing visitors to the city and showcasing all Hull has to offer.”
Links www.vhey.co.uk
Hull City Council www.hullcc.gov.uk
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YourMail-Heather Submitted 19 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
The Magic Numbers to play for Freedom
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Wednesday, August 20
The Magic Numbers are set to headline Hull’s Freedom event on Saturday, August 30. The line-up for the one-day event, which will be the biggest live show to ever take place in the city, also includes folk-punks Noah And The Whale, who are currently riding high in the singles and download charts with Five Years Time.
The Magic Numbers have a string of chart successes, including Love Me Like You, Love’s A Game and I See You, You See Me. Freedom will take place at three sites in the city centre. Queens Gardens will be re-christened Freedom Gardens for the day and the live stage will feature the headliners, along with local heroes The Paddingtons, Gulnaz, The Talk, Lady Lykes and Hull Urban Collective.
There will also be a Festival Village featuring a silent disco, stalls and refreshments.
A stage in Victoria Square will play host to former Blue chart-topper Simon Webbe and other acts, including Sweet Rebellion, Vogue, Booty Luv, Lucie Silvas, Maria Lawson, The Ryes, Sadie Ama, Phoenix and City Girls. Janet Reuben, chief executive of joint festival organisers Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, said: “The line-up is incredibly exciting and the addition of The Magic Numbers and Noah And The Whale illustrates how important the event is for the city.”
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YourMailWill Submitted 19 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
I don’t like to be a party-pooper, but I feel they could have done considerably more promotion for an event on this scale. This is the first I have heard of it.
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YourMail-Heather Submitted 16 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
Bollywood dancers to thrill Freedom crowd
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Saturday, August 23
A company of Bollywood dancers is coming to the Freedom festival, courtesy of Hull Trains. Bollywood Steps is expected to be one of the highlights of the music and arts festival next Saturday.
The theatre extravaganza will see Bollywood and hip-hop dancers, performers and drummers perform exciting routines on a main stage in Queens Gardens, city centre. Their act includes an array of outrageous props, spectacular pyrotechnics and gigantic water effects.
David Townend, First Hull Trains sales and marketing manager, said: “We are delighted to be able to transport everyone involved in Bollywood Steps on board First Hull Trains. “The show sounds very exciting and entertaining and it is great the city’s own rail operator can play an important role in the success of the show.” Bollywood Steps will be performed at Freedom on the main stage in Queens Gardens.
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YourMail-Heather Submitted 12 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
Feel free to have a great time at festival
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Wednesday, August 27
Thousands of people are expected to gather in the centre of Hull this weekend for the Freedom Festival. Final preparations are being made for Saturday’s event, which starts at noon and ends with a fireworks display.
It promises to be one of the city’s biggest live music and drama shows.
Organisers have recruited The Magic Numbers, who will headline the event.
The rock band has enjoyed a string of chart successes with hits including Love’s A Game.
Former Blue chart-topper Simon Webbe – who is now enjoying a successful solo career – will also perform.
The event will take place at three locations in the city centre: Queen Victoria Square, Queens Gardens and Trinity Square.
Janet Reuben, chief executive of joint festival organisers Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, urged people to come and take a look.
She said: “We have a fantastic line-up. I would be very surprised if we don’t attract thousands of people.
“I would certainly urge people to come down to the city centre and enjoy the day.
“It is about celebrating freedom and the work of Hull MP William Wilberforce.”
A stage in Victoria Square – renamed Freedom Square for the day – will play host to some of the big acts, such as Simon Webbe.
Ms Reuben said: “Victoria Square will be where people can catch a glimpse of the main chart singers.”
Organisers also expect a silent disco to be popular with the crowd.
“People will be invited to wear headphones,” explained Ms Reuben. “Different music will be played to each person.
“It will be great to watch as well as to take part in.”
A company of Bollywood dancers will also help keep the crowds entertained.
Bollywood and hip-hop dancers, performers and drummers will perform spectacular routines on a main stage in Queens Gardens.
Bollywood Steps is expected to be one of the highlights of the festival.
Other bands, including folk-punks Noah And The Whale and The Paddingtons, of Hull, will also feature.
Ms Reuben said she hopes to emulate the success of last year’s event.
She said: “The idea is to turn the Freedom Festival into a popular annual event.”
Ms Reuben said the event will also seek to incorporate the feel-good factor of the London Olympics in 2012.
Next year’s event will be significant because it will be the 250th anniversary of William Wilberforce’s birth.
Wilberforce headed the parliamentary campaign against the British slave trade until the Slave Trade Act was passed in 1807.
For more details, visit www.freedomfestival.co.uk
The Magic Numbers www.themagicnumbers.net
The Paddingtons www.thepaddingtons.net
Simon Webbe www.simonwebbe.net
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YourMail-Heather Submitted 7 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
Crowds delight in city’s tribute to freedom
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Monday, September 1
One of the city’s greatest sons was honoured with a huge open-air party this weekend.
Hull’s Freedom Festival took place on Saturday over a marathon 10-and-a-half hours and included performances by bands, Bollywood dancers, theatre acts and many other arts attractions.
The extravaganza was organised to celebrate freedom and the work of former Hull MP William Wilberforce.
He was instrumental in passing the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807.
The Magic Numbers were headlining the festival, which saw bands from across the country perform.
The group has had a string of chart successes, including Forever Lost, Love Me Like You, and Take A Chance.
The line-up for the one-day event also included folk-punks Noah And The Whale, who are currently riding high in the singles and download charts with Five Years Time.
Ainthorpe Primary School pupil Abigail Davey, 11, was at the event with her mum, dad, sister and brother.
She said: “I am enjoying myself. I like to see the dancing and we have watched the Bollywood dancers.”
Her dad Lee said: “We heard about the festival and thought it was something good we could do.
“We are enjoying ourselves.”
The three-venue event saw Queens Gardens rechristened Freedom Gardens, where there was a live stage as well as a silent disco, stalls, refreshments, Bollywood-style dancing, street theatre, performance hairdressing from Osadia and a fireworks finale.
Victoria Square, which became Freedom Square for the day, played host to a stage that featured former Blue chart-topper Simon Webbe and other acts, including Sweet Rebellion, Vogue, Booty Luv, Lucie Silvas, Maria Lawson, The Ryes, Sadie Ama, Phoenix and City Girls.
And Trinity Square, renamed Freedom Quarter, was the venue for the event’s junior programme as well as acoustic acts and street theatre.
Dita Jisnevska, 45, of Barnsley Street, east Hull, has lived in the city for three years.
The cake factory worker is originally from Latvia.
She said: “I heard about the festival and wanted to come and see it.
“I went to the jazz festival and that was good.
“We don’t have anything like this in Latvia.
“This is all free and I can’t understand why more people don’t come down and see it.
“In Latvia, you would have to pay a lot of money for something like this.”
Freedom Festival www.freedomfestival.co.uk
Wilberforce 2008 www.wilberforce2008.com
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YourMail-Heather Submitted 6 days ago Unsuitable Content? Report it!
77,000 names on petition
from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Tuesday, September 2
Almost 2,000 people signed the Wilberforce Fight For Freedom petition at Hull’s first Freedom Festival, taking the total number of signatures to more than 77,000. The amount of signatures gathered was the biggest single number at any event to date.
The petition aims to increase pressure on world leaders and international bodies to end modern-day slavery. The Freedom event saw live arts, street theatre, music and dance taking place across Hull city centre. It was organised to celebrate freedom and the work of former Hull MP William Wilberforce, who was instrumental in passing the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807.
Mitch Upfold, lead officer on Hull City Council’s Wilberforce commemorative programme, said: “We are extremely grateful for the overwhelming support local people and people beyond the city’s boundaries have given to the petition.”
To sign the petition, visit www.wilberforce2008.com
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