Alban Weekend online programme
Live music, cocktail-making demonstrations and craft sessions are to take place online as part of a reimagined Alban Weekend.
A webpage to promote the annual event on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June has been launched and provides details of the free activities on offer.
Normally, thousands of people pack St Albans City Centre streets for the weekend’s main attractions, the Alban Pilgrimage and the Street Festival.
Both events have been reshaped for this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic which prevents large gatherings.
Details of the programme as well as information about how residents and community groups can get involved are on the new festival webpage: www.enjoystalbans.com/AlbanWeekend.
St Albans City and District Council organises the Alban Street Festival which will take place in the new virtual format on the Sunday.
It is working on the project with other organisations from the St Albans Visitor Partnership including the St Albans BID, St Albans Civic Society and St Albans Cathedral.
Normally, the City Centre is closed to traffic as more than 12,000 people enjoy a six-hour long street party with free entertainment and 70-plus market stalls selling takeaway food and drink.
The action-packed, reimagined online version will include:
- Live music from local singer Grace George.
- Crafting sessions based on exhibits from St Albans Museums + Gallery.
- Cocktail making with Tomoko Spirits.
- Face painting tutorial from Glitterbox.
- A virtual tour of the City by St Albans Tour Guides.
- An opportunity to have your artwork displayed around the City in an exhibition curated by St Albans BID. Submissions should be made in the run-up to the weekend.
- Takeaway food brought to your door from a variety of festival traders offering special menus for the day.
- A live pub quiz via Zoom from the White Lion pub featuring quizmaster Professor Tim Boatswain.
Some of these events will be shown live on the festival webpage. Grace George, the art exhibition and the pub quiz which will raise money for the Civic Society are being organised by St Albans BID.
The Alban Pilgrimage which takes on Saturday 20 June and is organised by the Cathedral, will no longer include a parade of giant puppets along St Peter’s Street.
Instead, it will include the live streaming of a special service on YouTube as well as other activities. The service will be led by the Bishop of St Albans and l include the Reverend Richard Coles, parish priest, broadcaster and former Communard musician.
The Pilgrimage is a celebration of Alban, the first recorded Christian martyr whom the City was named after. More information will be available on the Cathedral’s website: www.stalbanscathedral.org.
Councillor Mandy McNeil, Portfolio Holder for Business, Tourism and Culture, said:
I’m sure everyone will understand that it’s not possible to stage the Alban Weekend this year in traditional fashion while respecting social distancing.
As this is one of the most popular events of the year, we are reimagining it online so that people can still have a fun weekend during this difficult time.
There is a wealth of free entertainment on offer with something for people of all ages, backgrounds and interests.
I urge everyone to check out the festival webpage on Enjoy St Albans to see the activities that are taking place and follow the live events which will be the focus of activities on the Sunday.
On street festival day, you will be able to face paint, try out a craft and listen to live music by a local performer while enjoying a takeaway meal and drink from one of our many superb outlets, all in a safe environment.
There will be updates on the Alban Weekend programme and adverts on 92.6FM Radio Verulam.
Councillor contact:
Mandy McNeil, Portfolio Holder for Business,
Tourism and Culture
Email: cllr.m.mcneil@councillor.stalbans.gov.uk
Tel: 07584-198999.
Contact for the media:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727 819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.