The return of the Carnival of Cultures

Date published: 08/05/2006

The streets Rochdale town centre will be transformed on Saturday 13 May with the return of Carnival of Cultures – bringing the very best in street theatre with music and performance artists.  Carnival of Cultures runs from 12 noon.

The same weekend marks the return of the French Market - from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 May. Traditional crafts and the many exotic tastes and smells of France will be on The Butts which a chance to enjoy typical bread, cheese, wine, cooked meats, crepes and waffles.

Carnival of Cultures line up for 2006

• Sparky – the little robot, with the electric personality, that bears an uncanny resemblance to familiar household objects.
• Lord of the Bins – Gandalf the Garbage and Frodo Bin-Baggins with a mission to save Middle Earth.
• The Notional Trust – informing you about lesser known historical facts or the story of a passing ‘celebrity’.
• Seagulls - Totally surreal giant seabirds.
• Circo Rum Ba Ba.
• Jago – Breathtaking modern juggling. Performing in the Wheatsheaf Centre at 12.30pm and again in the Exchange Shopping Centre at 2pm and 3pm.
• M6 Youth Theatre – Especially commissioned for this event, M6 Youth Theatre’s newest production.
• Springhill High School – A chance to see students from this specialist Arts College perform.

A culture of creativity

Rochdale Borough ‘Creates’ – that’s the showcase of local creative talent that forms part of this year’s culturefest that is Carnival of Cultures.  Community groups, arts organisations and artists from different cultural backgrounds, ages and abilities help celebrate the vibrancy of our cultural life. And creativity doesn’t only happen in festival times; under the title of ‘Creates’ a programme of events has been compiled that will run over the next two months.

Performances at Touchstones Rochdale include:

• ‘Karibu – Welcome to Africa’ on Sunday 14 May from 1-4pm – the richness and variety of African cultures through arts, crafts, fashion and music, followed by ant evening at the Ronald Gorton Centre, from 5.30-9.30pm with Zimbabwean band ‘Hohodza’ and a chance to sample African food. Both events free, tickets required for evening event. 
• A chance to express your creativity and reduce your stress levels on Monday 15 May with ‘Laughter is the best medicine’ – a laughter workshop from 10.30am-12noon and ‘Laughter meditation’ from 2.30-3.30pm. Both events are free, but booking required. A lunch-time drop in event from 12.30pm-3pm is ‘Creativity @ Lunchtime’ – a chance to have a go at a range of arts activities.
• ‘The Spider Men’ on Tuesday 16 May at 7pm – performed by students from Oulder Hill School, this play was a winner in the National Theatre Shell Connections competition 2006 and won through to the regional final at The Lowry which the chance to perform later in the year in London. It contains adult themes and is unsuitable for young children.
• Thursday 18 May sees the launch of ‘Home Truths’, Touchstones Rochdale summer season of exhibitions which includes a new heritage exhibition called ‘Our House’ – hear and see what life was like for older generationss and to marvel at the ‘new technology’ of the past. Free entry but booking required.
• Sunday 21 May presents ‘Back to the Future’ organised by SAW – Schofield Arts Workshop – with short pieces of drama and music from the 1880s to the present day. Performance 2pm, free but ticketed event.

More information for all these events is available by ringing 01706 924928 – which is also the booking line. 

Other events taking part in the ‘Creates’ festival include:

• Shamwari Project Open Day – Tuesday, 16 May, 1.30-4.30 pm at Rochdale Centre for Diversity, Deen House, Station Road – live music, refreshments, good as new market and kids fun corner with free entry.
• Rochdale Festival of Dance, Gymnastics and Trampoline on Wednesday 17 May at Falinge High School at 4pm, tickets £2, bookable on 07800 672865.
• On Friday 19 May ‘Where Memories meet Dreams’, a performance of percussion, dance, singing and poetry at 7.30 pm at Studio M6 Theatre on Rochdale’s Albert Royds Street – tickets free – with performances by Pandemonium, Spiral Dance, Octavius Singers and Just Poets.