Continuing with the theme of what on earth has Derby got to offer, Friday 24thSeptember saw the opening of Derby Festé, a three day outdoor festival I’d been looking forward to since we first visited the city to look at flats and I’d picked up a truck full of paraphernalia from the Tourist Information. Billed as ‘one of the most spectacular weekend festivals of its kind in the Midlands’ (Festé literature), many events were taking place within mere minutes of our humble abode – most of it we could listen to from the comfort of our own living room.
Kicking off the weekend of completely free entertainment was a Bollywood parade, ending up in the Market Place (the square we live on) for Derby’s biggest outdoor disco. Hosted by Charity Shop DJ, the night included guest DJ slots by the Mayor of Derby(!) and ex-Blue Peter presenter Simon Groom, as well as professional dancers to get the party started.
All weekend on the Cathedral Green sat a ‘luminarium’, a gigantic inflatable maze-like creation which attracted endless queues of people.
On Sunday we didn’t need to move to be entertained as bands played all day on a double-decker bus which had been converted into a stage located in the Market Place and their easy-listening sounds seeped in through our windows.
The bizarre mix of events attracted crowds in large numbers despite the satisfactory weather, proving that Derby Festé is a hugely popular weekend of free entertainment with some of the world’s best outdoor performers coming together with local artists to entertain every man and his dog.
Every town/city should have a Festé.
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