Along with sensational performances from The Specials, James, Bananarama, Lawson, The Twang, Roots Manvua and many more, this year’s Splendour Festival is set to feature an incredible area of fringe entertainment as well as a fantastic kid’s zone for our young festival goers!
Nottingham School of Samba
Samba school drumming performances, Brazillian songs on percussion instruments in the styles of Afro-Brasil, samba reggae and Rio samba.
DH Lawrence & The Vaudeville Skiffle Show’s Kazoo Orchestra
Kazoo orchestra and Vaudeville Skiffle Show. Washboards, plant pot bass and kazoos! Family friendly fun music.
Swing Nouveau
Modern songs performed in a retro style. Swing dancers encouraging audience participation. Female singer and double bass player dressed in vintage colourful clothing.
DIY Poets
A series of poetry by various members of the DIY Poets collective performed for the family audience.
Daniel Dore
A close up and strolling magician, since starting as a magician Daniel has picked up many honors both local and regional, such as becoming the first winner of the Graham Harper innovation award and the youngest winner of Edinburgh magic festivals showmanship award.
Inspector Hemslo
The detective of magic. Join Inspector Graham Hemslo the worlds leading… and well only consulting detective. Over years of training Hemslo has conditioned himself to be able to find out your most intimate secrets simply by looking you. Watch as one of Nottingham’s leading parlour acts influences, suggested and surprises you in countless ways.
Nott Circus
Nott Circus will be bringing an impressive 8 metre rig to Splendour, and performing three dazzling mini-cabaret performances, each comprising of 2 aerial acts. Marvel at the acrobatics, and enjoy free-play activities including diabolo, stilt walking, juggling and more between shows.
Walkabout Entertainment – Nonsuch Theatre – The Fun Police!
Walkabout theatre – The Fun Police – 4 roaming performers in full PPE roam the fields of Splendour making sure that attendees are enjoying themselves responsibly. With megaphones, tape, banners and cordons, the performers interact with attendes throughout the day – creating silly scenarios of ‘safety’ and generally being a delightful nuisance. Attendees are rewarded for safe practice whilst others take part in games to make themselves safer. Brief seminars will be held on how to have fun properly and ensure that people’s fun is cleverly organised. The irony being, The Fun Police are anything but safe themselves!
Big Top Mania
Look out for the mini big top hosted by Big Top Mania, featuring circus skills workshops including low tightrope wire, hula-hooping, diablos, juggling & unicycles. They’ll be bringing giant bubbles and crazy inflatables along too, as well as closing proceedings in the Children’s Area with Big Bear’s Big Balloon Disco.
Area Inbetween
Area Inbetween inspire young people through the arts. They provide a range of vibrant and exciting workshops for young people to get involved in at festivals. Alongside LP painting on Dizzy The Bike, Face Painting, and Recycled Materials workshops there is a games and chill-out space for socialising and hanging out, including Giant Jenga, Ten Pin Bowling and Twister. All activities are free except for a spin on Dizzy charged at 50p per vinyl.
Giant Games and Make & Take Workshops
Join in with some old fashioned board games with a giant twist! Including Chess, Draughts and Connect 4. Make your own festival badges and windmills too!
Big Tops and Tall Tales’ Wonderland Party
Step through the looking glass and join us for a heady mix of delicious cocktails, sweet treats, walkabout entertainment, big games & silliness galore. Chill out and sup your cocktail at the DRINK ME BAR, or gorge on cake at the BITE ME CAFÉ where “it’s always tea time”. Play croquet with the Queen of Hearts or dine with the Mad Hatter, if you dare! If you’re feeling feisty, you can suit up, step into the sumo ring and wrestle a friend in the Tweedle-Dee & Tweedle-Dum Arena! Just remember…“If you don’t know where you are going any road can take you there”