Thousands of people headed to Oak Hill Park in Accrington on Saturday to enjoy a fantastic day of free entertainment, activities and performances at the Connecting Cultures Festival, with over 7,000 people visiting the park throughout the week.
A festival atmosphere was enjoyed from start to finish as families and visitors of all ages came together to enjoy an exciting programme celebrating cultures from around the world.
The highlight of the day was the spectacular Luminarium Timisien by Architects of Air, a world-famous immersive sculpture that has been experienced by more than four million people in 47 countries.
As part of the Architects of Air Connexus Tour, Accrington was one of only four towns in the UK to host the stunning walk-through installation, also including Boston, Barrow-in-Furness and Newham, making it one of the biggest cultural attractions ever to visit Hyndburn.
Thousands of people stepped inside the extraordinary world of colour and light throughout the festival, while free workshops inside the Luminarium on Thursday and Friday gave local people the chance to experience the installation ahead of the main event.
There was plenty happening across Oak Hill Park throughout the day. The Bandstand was alive with music and dance performances, including a hugely popular K-Pop performance, with young fans getting the chance to meet the performers afterwards.
Families also enjoyed fairground rides, street food, face painting, henna, campfire bannock bread making, a climbing wall, a football challenge and a wide range of hands-on activities. The Makers Tent proved especially popular, giving visitors the opportunity to get creative and discover crafts and traditions from different cultures.
Visitors could also take part in a special heritage talk at the Oak Hill War Memorial by Alison Iddon, adding another dimension to a packed programme of activities.
There was also an exciting appearance from a Chinese Lion that wowed the crowds, whilst families engaged with cultural attractions including a Bewonderment Machine, a Splodge-a-matic Spin Painting Machine, circus workshops and dragon storytelling sessions, which gave children the chance to meet mythical characters.
On Wednesday the Luminarium hosted community and charity groups for private use, while on Thursday and Friday, special workshops took place inside the Luminarium, ranging from Tai Chi to storytelling.
Councillor Kate Walsh, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Arts at Hyndburn Borough Council, said: “It was incredible to see so many people coming together and getting involved in all the cultural activities on offer. Oak Hill Park was buzzing with excitement all day and it was a real pleasure to be part of it.
“The response to the festival was fantastic. It was wonderful to see families exploring something new, enjoying the performances, trying different activities and making the most of everything that was on offer. Events like this show what a great community we have here in Hyndburn.”
James Stephenson, Luminarium Manager for Architects of Air, said: “These inflatable sculptures have toured all over the world, to more than 40 countries and we have just had a fantastic week in Accrington.
“It has been a really diverse programme of events, we’ve had three days of workshops, and special sessions for all abilities and backgrounds.
“Today has been an amazing festival here in the park, with so much going on – climbing, rides, art, sculptures and food. We’ve had lots and lots of visitors to the Luminarium, and around 7,000 people have visited the park over the week. We’re really pleased to have been part of it and it’s one of the most diverse places we’ve been to in a long, long time.”
Architects of Air Connexus Tour is funded by Arts Council England and supported by Hyndburn Borough Council, Accrington.
