A new festival for children, young people and families is coming to Redcar this summer.
Between the Tides is a weekend of adventure and exploration, imagination and messiness taking place across the town on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 August.
The festival will transform the streets into a spectacle of free theatre, puppetry, circus, dance, storytelling and live music and much more in a creative celebration of Redcar’s coastal location.
Performances from an array of local and nationally renowned outdoor arts companies will be presented along the High Street, on the Esplanade and outside Tuned In! and a host of other spaces across the town.
Highlights of the programme include: Out of the Deep Blue - Autin Dance Company introduce Eko, a spectacular 13 feet tall giant who rises out of the sea and befriends a little girl called Violet. Theatre Temoin bring Flood – a watery, acrobatic adventure that makes a real splash. And Larger Than Life invite you to squeeze into the belly of a giant sperm whale to meet mesmerising mermaids and shipwrecked pirates.
The bandstand will host a range of performances from local bands and musicians while In Redcar Library, Big Little Gigs will be introducing children to their first live music gigs with The Sunny Side Jazz Band and The Tamla All Stars as well as instrument making sessions. Local authors Lisette Auton and James Harris invite children to weave tales of magic and excitement.
Other entertainment on offer includes beach workshops which will invite children to join an internationally acclaimed team of sand sculptors to create their own works of art.
The Pick ‘N’ Mix market in Queen Street will bring together an exciting range of street food vendors alongside local designers and makers.
Running alongside the festival, from Thursday 24 to Saturday 27 August, Kirkleatham Museum Grounds will be the site of a giant inflatable Luminarum. Luminarum is an interactive sculpture, designed to evoke wonder at the beauty of light and colour. Visitors are invited to explore the dazzling maze of winding paths and soaring domes.
Whilst most entertainment is free; some performances will come with a small charge.
Between the Tides is led and programmed by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and has been supported by Arts Council England and Without Walls.
Cllr Carrie Richardson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Culture at the Council, said:
“We are thrilled to be creating this fantastic event for Redcar and we want as many residents and visitors as possible to come along. This will be a great opportunity for families to spend some quality time together.
“It’s so important to develop festivals like this in our borough; to present a high quality cultural offer in Redcar and Cleveland, offering unique and exciting opportunities in our area. Events such as this help to grow our visitor economy and make the most of what our amazing area has to offer.”
Between the Tides is accessible to wheelchair users, and performances are either British Sign Language interpreted or highly visual and therefore accessible for d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences, as well as non-English speakers. Future accessibility information on all performances are available via the Between the Tides web page.
For a full itinerary of the events, please visit: https://redcarcleveland.co.uk/enjoy/between-the-tides-festival/