23 June 2009
Seb Coe gets set for London 2012 Open Weekend celebrations
across the North West
Exciting events across the North West, from multi-sport
festivals to dance celebrations, film screenings to rowing and
vintage video carousels, are to be part of London 2012 Open Weekend
(24 – 26 July 2009) – a series of events across the country
enabling access to excellence in the arts, culture and sport and
celebrating three years to go until the London 2012 Olympic
Games.
London 2012 Open Weekend enables everyone to share in the
excitement of the Games, be inspired, get involved, unleash
creativity and try something new! Join the celebrations
across the North West and plan your weekend: www.london2012.com/openweekend
Eighteen London 2012 Open Weekend Events are taking place in the
North West. Examples include:
• Dance takes to the street in this open air festival –
Lakes Alive: Dance Daze – with amazing performances from the likes
of Ballet Boyz and Punchdrunk in Penrith
• Choose your favourite vintage BBC clips on the giant
interactive video carousel in Liverpool, a London 2012 Inspire Mark
project, or Move More with a range of free activities including tai
chi, cheerleading, climbing, yoga and netball in Litherland.
• Get a sneak peak at Britian’s oldest rowing club in Chester
or play past and present Olympic sports in Hyde
• Get Hot on the Square with a street festival for all the
family in Leigh, be inspired by Fit City in Swinton, enjoy Jazz on
a Summers Day in Manchester or listen to singers on the balcony of
the Lowry Arts Centre in Salford
• Celebrate maritime history in Preston, Wii Olympics fun in
Blackburn, and a Day of Dance in Ormskirk
• Get Back to Sport! with Sports Development competitions and
multi-sport fun in Wigan
The London 2012 Open Weekend created by London 2012 is supported
by BP, the Premier Partner of the Cultural Olympiad. London
2012 Open Weekend will take place every year in July.
This year’s London 2012 Open Weekend follows the success of last
year’s event, which launched the Cultural Olympiad and enabled over
700,000 people to become part of the Olympic and Paralympic
Games.
Be inspired at Open Weekend
Many events recognised through the London 2012 Inspire programme,
are also involved in London 2012 Open Weekend. The London 2012
Inspire programme recognizes exceptional mass participation
projects and events inspired by London 2012 and contributing to its
wider legacy. Four Inspire mark events are taking place
across the North West for London 2012 Open Weekend. An
example is ‘Dance Daze’ – a new outdoor festival in Penrith,
Cumbria, featuring internationally acclaimed dance artists and
companies with amazing performances from the likes of Ballet Boyz
and Punchdrunk. Dance Daze is part of Lakes Alive, a four year
outdoor animation and street arts programme across the whole of
Cumbria for the Cultural Olympaid.
The Inspire programme and Open Weekend are examples of how
London 2012 is enabling people and communities right across the UK
to benefit from the Games, encouraging participation and
recognising the contribution people, places and projects are making
to the success of the 2012 Games.
Debbi Lander, London 2012 Creative Programmer – Northwest,
said:
“It’s exciting to see so many great cultural, sporting and
environmental projects featured as part of the London 2012’s Open
Weekend. Projects like ‘Dance Daze’ and ‘Places of Public Resort’
set a new benchmark for what we are trying to develop and showcase
here in the Northwest – something different and transformational
that can take the region to a whole new level of creativity,
participation and experience, inspired by London 2012.”
London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe said: “We’ve always been
clear that London 2012 is about more than just sport, we want to
create a Games for the Nation and Games that are accessible to
everyone. We created Open Weekend as part of the Cultural
Olympiad, to enable people to share in the countdown celebrations
towards London 2012 but also be inspired by the Games to discover
new interests and develop their talents.
“Open Weekend is part of our vision for the Games to inspire
lasting change. The fantastic range of Open Weekend events
provide opportunities for everyone to access excellence across
sport, art and culture and try something new. The Games are
thriving across the UK and we are grateful to the organisations
that have partnered with us to make Open Weekend happen.”
Peter Mather, Head of BP in the UK said: “BP is delighted to
become the Premier Partner of the Cultural Olympiad. We have an
excellent track record for supporting the arts in the UK and we
want to help build further synergies between sports and the arts in
the run up to the 2012 Games. We are already working
closely with LOCOG on our plans as the official Tier 1 oil and gas
partner and adding the cultural arm to these activities is
something to which we are looking forward.”
END
Press Contacts
For further information and details on events happening across
the Northwest please contact Rachel Handford, Senior Press Officer
at the Northwest Regional Development Agency on 01925 400237 or
rachel.handford@nwda.co.uk