Our Big Gig in the Arboretum was first inspired back in 2013. The idea came from two 15 year old girls who, along with other like-minded people who expressed a lack of things for people to do in the area and that their local park wasn’t being used enough. They have a passion for music and after being encouraged to explore their idea and after months of searching came across the Our Big Gig programme. In the summer of 2013, they delivered their first event. This event saw over 300 people attend to enjoy a fun filled day packed with music, workshops, stalls and other great activities. The success of this spurred them on to do the event again in 2014 and make it even bigger. That event saw around 700 people attend. With this success under their belts, they then did another event in 2015, this saw an amazing 1000 people attend, with recognition from local radio stations, the Daily Mail and even won an award. They now hope the 2016 event will be even bigger and better than ever!

What we'll deliver:

• We want Our Big Gig in the Arboretum to grow and continue to benefit the local area as well as the wider city.
• We want our event to be open to everyone and with something for all ages to do.
• We want our event to encourage people to take what was a brief idea to something amazing.
• We want to get more young people involved to give them the opportunity to lead on a big project that appeals to many.
• We want to raise money to make sure we can do this event again this year!
• We want to showcase local talent.

Why it's a great idea:

This is a great idea because here in Lincoln, a small city, there isn't another annual event like this. We believe the huge success which has already snowballed from year one to year two is down to the fact we are offering something different in the city. We are making use of a beautiful but underused park in the city, which often holds a negative perception. We are making use of the old Victorian bandstand and the rest of the park! It also offers a fun day which is suitable for everyone with lots to do.We want to challenge the negative perception by offering opportunities to people to enjoy the park and see its potential. We want to show more 15-year olds that they CAN do something and they can take action on their dreams and ambitions.

Steps to get it done:

• We have successfully ran the event for three years and we hope this year will involve even more people.
• We want to see more volunteers and people attending the event on the day.
• This event runs because residents take the lead and do the work. This way we believe it has longevity & will continue!
• We will have regular meetings in which we will discuss and plan the day so everything runs smoothly.