The idea
Love Lancaster Live is filling the gap in the city centre events calandar left after Lancaster Music Festival announced they were taking a break this year.
Organised by Lancaster BID, the event will fill the city with free live music accessible to all. Almost 25 hospitality businesses have already signed up as venues alongside over 15 smaller retail businesses which will host pop up 'busk stops'. The Sunday of the event will feature 'Locals Live' - a full day of free live performances by local acts in Lancaster's Market Square. This will all be complemented by a programme of roaming street musicians and pop up performances in Lancaster's shopping centres throughout the weekend.
Overall we expect over 200 performances taking place in over 50 locations throughout the weekend attracting crows of thousands of people. The majority of performances will be delivered by local musicians.
What we'll deliver
- Over 50 city centre venues hosting live music.
- Over 200 live music performances throughout the weekend.
- Over 100 local musicians performing
Why it's a great idea
Love Lancaster Live will entertain thousands of local people with free musical entertainment whilst promoting Lancaster as a place to visit for events for all ages. Making the vast majority of performances free ensures it truly is accessible to everyone which is increasingly important as so many households find their finances stretched. Music of all genres will be included to further enhance the appeal to all.
The event will also support the livelihoods of local musicians who will deliver the majority of the over 200 gigs throughout the weekend. As well as paid gigs during the event, local acts will also be showcased and be seen by large audiences to help increase their profile and increase their chances of future local bookings. Using local acts also keeps the money within the local economy.
Finally, Love Lancaster Live supports the venues hosting the gigs. This is expected to be one of the busiest weekends of the year for hospitality venues helping ensure they remain viable.
Steps to get it done
- 25 July - Deadline for all venues to complete sign up
- 6 Aug - Deadline for gig schedules to appear in brochure
- Jul to Sept - Ongoing event marketing including social media, venue posters, adverts
- End August - all acts for public spaces, roaming street acts etc booked
- 17 Sept - City Centre booking forms and H&S paperwork complete for ESAG meeting
- Sept - Event banners up in city centre
- 9-12 October - deliver event
