Mardi Gras

   Mardi Gras 2011

The 2011 King Street Mardi Gras took place on Tuesday 8th March from 4-6.00 pm. The event  featured entertainment, food and customs with an international theme, both in the street and inside the event’s tented area on King Street.  This is the second Mardi Gras event to be held on King Street: the weather was much kinder than in 2010 and there was a good crowd.  The event is organised by SeaChange Arts to celebrate the international festival that is Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day .

The theme this year drew heavily on the notion of spring versus winter –  represented throughout the event in the form of ‘Fatso’ and ‘Hempen’ – two characters from the Lithuanian culture who do battle to signify the changing of the seasons. “We introduced Fatso and Hempen at last year’s event,” explained SeaChange’s Chief Executive, Joe Mackintosh, “This year, we’re developing their role and they will be central to the afternoon’s activities.”

The roles of Fatso and Hempen were filled this year by performers from Générik Vapeur, a French street arts company who SeaChange Arts work closely with as part of a European partnership, called ZEPA. The partnership enabled SeaChange to bring the full Générik Vapeur Company to Yarmouth last year to showcase their legendary street show Bivouac as part of the Out There festival.

The Mardi Gras event is designed to bring communities and businesses from around the King Street area to work together. The area is earmarked as a new cultural quarter for the town, focused around the £8m redevelopment of St Georges Chapel into a multipurpose Arts Centre.

For further information on the event visit www.seachangearts.org.uk 

(Information provided by SeaChange Arts)

The Room

The Room, an event inspired by the Later with Jools Holland show, is back at the Oceans Rooms in Gorleston after a two year break, with a one off night on Friday 4^th Feb, 2011.  Tickets £5 on the door, doors open 8.30 p.m., show starts 9.30 p.m. For more informatin go to http://www.theroomisback.co.uk

Stage 1 Buster James Bond, Stage 2 The Doggett Brothers, Stages 3 and 4 Rivers Llewelyn, The Lorebreakers, Miss Lisa Ambrose, Frost and Mudd and special guests,  Dance DJ Underground.

Blessing of the Nets Service

St. Nicholas Church, Sunday 3rd October, 2010 at 6.30 pm.

A special service to celebrate the medieval tradition of Blessing the Nets of the fisherman of the town and to pray for them before they went to sea:  includes sea songs by the Masquers, followed by herring snack (ticket event £5

HERRING FISHING EVENING WITH ERNIE CHILDS

7.30 p.m. Friday 12th November 2010 at Furzedown Hotel, North Drive, Great Yarmouth. 

Tickets £10, includes Steak and Ale Pie or vegetarian option, for more information click on  St. Nicholas Preservation Trust  

In aid of the church fabric and the organ

Great Yarmouth Herring Day

Original smoke stacks have been preserved in the once famous Tower Curing Works, now the premises of the award-winning Time and Tide Museum, where the ever popular Herring Day is held to celebrate the glory days of Great Yarmouth’s fishing industry with music, magic, stories and performance.  

The Silver Darlings cafe in the courtyard will be serving a special Herring Day menu –  ’A taste of October’.  For futher information tel 01493 743930 or go to www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk.

Singing Histories

A trip down memory lane is being offered on Wednesday 25th November in the Northgate Room of the newly refurbished Central Library from 2.00 – 3.00 p.m.  There will be photographs and documents relating to Great Yarmouth life and an opportunity to share memories.  Spaces are limited so booking by calling 01603 222599 is advised.

New Great Yarmouth Community Library Celebration Open Day

Come along to enjoy free drop in activities for all the family at  Great Yarmouth Community Library on Saturday 3rd October 2009.  The official opening is at 11am then there are free drop in activities until 4pm.

Relax with an Indian head massage 1-4pm, try new Nintendo Wii and DS games 11.30am – 3pm (bring your DS console), get advice from the CAB, travel back in time by visiting the Tolhouse museum, watch cookery and dance demonstrations, try your hand at origami, sign up for a free IT course, children can get creative with craft, design and calligraphy workshops, have a go at DJ mixing 2-4pm, young children can enjoy stories, play activities and have their faces painted, plus much, much more.

Also a number of activities, exhibitions and lectures have been arranged for the day by ‘East Meets East’ an organisation celebrating the culture of East Anglia and Japan.

Great Yarmouth Community Library, Tolhouse Street, NR30 2SH  Tel 01493 844551. 3 mins walk from Town Centre, free limited parking at the library and on the South Quay, pay and display car parks in King Street and Town Centre.  Baby changing facilities available, children under 8 years must be accompanied by an adult. Visit www.library.norfolk.gov.uk  for all drop in activity and event details.

The refurbished library now has meeting rooms, workshop rooms wtih sinks and a large activity room with a sprung floor and stage, all available for use by local people and communtiy groups.  The library successfully bid for a £1.4m Big Lottery grant towards the improvements to the libary, a process that  involved local people in making design decisions.