Scarborough Streets Brings Vibrant Arts and Culture to the Town Centre

The three day event launches today with a variety of street performances including circus acts, magic shows, live music, choir performances, dance, and theatre in Scarborough town centre.

Scarborough's town centre is set to buzz with energy as the Scarborough Streets festival commences today, Friday 30 May, launching three days of free performances, engaging workshops, and family activities. Running daily from 11 am to 4 pm, the festival aims to transform key areas of the town into hubs of creativity and entertainment until Sunday 1 June.

The event, described as an inclusive community festival, is part of The Scarborough Fair, a year-round programme of arts, heritage, and sporting events made possible by investment from the UK government’s Town Deals funding. It is a project of North Yorkshire Council, working in partnership with various sectors, initiated after extensive consultation with local residents, businesses, and community organisations. The festival seeks to inspire, celebrate, and showcase local creativity, while also featuring national and international artists.

Attendees can expect a diverse range of street performances, including circus acts, magic shows, live music, choir performances, dance, and theatre. These performances will take place across multiple locations in the town centre, specifically outside the Brunswick Centre, Aberdeen Walk, North Street, and in the gardens of The Crescent.

In addition to watching performances, visitors are encouraged to explore their creativity by participating in free workshops and activities. Opportunities range from arts and crafts and circus skills to yoga.

Festival Director - Julian Caddy - is looking forward to a unique activity which invites attendees to share their memories of Scarborough in a Victorian Bathing Machine.

"They're building a Victorian bathing machine.

So animated objects who are many people are familiar with in Scarborough and beyond as well, they're gonna be dressed in Victorian garb and they're building an accessible bathing machine.

And it's an opportunity for you to tell stories about, about Scarborough's history, for you to learn a little bit more in future from these stories, sort of an oral history project."

Music acts performing across the weekend include Old Time Rags, Jingle Robertson, Fred Vacher piano, The Blow-Ins folk duo, Ukrainian Choir, Vanessa Simmons piano, and Tim Moon folk performance.

Theatre performances feature Stone Soup, Betty Brown Bags, and The Hare and Moon. Dance acts include Power DC and a Morris Dancing Workshop.

Circus entertainment includes a Circus Skills Workshop, The Jester’s Journey, and William Reid-Frow. Magic shows feature Punch & Judy Show, Stephen Brailsford, Professor Dan, Three Little Pigs, and Reid-Frow Rip-Off.

Julian Caddy says some of the performances will be unusual and engaging, he's particularly keen to welcome a Bee Gees act back to the town.

"The other thing I'm really excited about is a Return of the Bee Gees. 

So we had, these people dressed as the Bee Gees walking up and down the street. And they made so many people happy. 

It's just so, it's so bonkers. People just Boogie along to Saturday Night Fever it's just hilarious.

I think the thing about art and, and creativity and whatever it might be, is you shouldn't take yourself too seriously"

Specific performances and workshops are scheduled throughout the weekend across the different zones.

Friday's line-up includes Old Time Rags, Stone Soup, and Jester's Journey outside the Brunswick Centre, Fred Vacher piano and Yoga with Helen in Crescent Gardens, Punch & Judy and Magic & Circus on Aberdeen Walk, and a Circus Skills workshop on North Street.

Saturday includes Streets Singing and Monty Sings Musicals outside the Brunswick Centre, a Magic & Circus Workshop and Ukrainian Choir in Crescent Gardens, Team BGee and a Street Fire Show on Aberdeen Walk.

Sunday features Morris Dancing and Monty Sings Musicals outside the Brunswick Centre, Vanessa Simmons piano and Tim Moon folk performance in Crescent Gardens, Three Little Pigs and Reid-Frow Rip-Off on Aberdeen Walk.

Rounding off the festival on Sunday 1 June is a vibrant community walkabout parade along Westborough and Newborough. This parade will showcase the dazzling costumes and creations proudly displayed by the weekend's performers and workshop participants.

The festival encourages everyone to head to the designated areas in the town centre to join the fun. The full programme is at https://scarboroughfair.uk/streets/