Kicking off ‘October in Nottingham’, is the It’s in Nottingham Independent Festival, organised by the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID), which takes place on Saturday 1 October.
The Independent Festival will be taking over the city with five stages in different locations across the city centre and free entertainment happening throughout the day, from 10.00am until 4.30pm. There will also be pop up events taking place at various independent shops, bars and businesses around the city for people to enjoy as well as some exclusive offers.
From a Bubbleologist to fire breathers; singing princesses to acoustic performers; break dancers to a steel drum band and doughnut and pizza eating competitions, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. The stages can be found on: Middle Pavement, Chapel Bar, King Street, Pelham Street and Carlton Square in Hockley.
Events taking place on the day within Nottingham’s independent businesses include: free fudge tasting at the Treat Kitchen on Wheeler Gate, pancake making at Café Sobar, free treasure hunt at Flying Horse Walk, a vegan cocktail and cake tasting at Debbie Bryan gift shop and tea rooms and Last Chance Saloon are hosting a Dawg eat Dog chilli dog eating competition (£15pp). Dukki Designs are hosting a Dialect treasure hunt (£2pp or £4 per group) and The Beauty Temple is offering free Bare Mineral makeovers (must be booked in advanced) and Derby Road Steering Group is organising a Purple Dot Day with many businesses offering special offers, discounts and instore activities.
Nottingham independent nightclub, Volt, is taking part in the Festival, presenting Ignition – a spectacular pyrotechnic infused dance show – on the King Street stage. Dan Heffernan, owner of Volt commented: “We are really excited about being involved in the Independent Festival. It promises to be a terrific event that should attract lots of people to the city. It is also a brilliant way of highlighting all the great independents that help to make Nottingham such a quirky and interesting city.”
The Nottingham BID has produced a festival guide detailing all that is happening. This can be picked up from independent businesses around the city centre. Alternatively check the It’s in Nottingham website for all the activities that are taking place –www.itsinnottingham.com/independents
The It’s in Nottingham Independent Festival is the finale of the Nottingham BID’s Summer of Independents campaign designed to highlight the strength and diversity of independent retail and leisure businesses in Nottingham city centre. The three month long campaign saw Debbie Bryan gift shop and tea room crowned the overall winner of the It’s in Nottingham Top Independent Business Competition 2016. A new issue of The Nottingham Independent, a 24-page magazine with features, profiles and listings to showcase everything independent in the city centre was produced and distributed to businesses and to 20,000 homes across Nottingham.
It also featured the infamous giant, purple Summer Sofa which captured the imagination of so many people throughout the summer with special guests visiting it from Robin Hood to Notts County cricketers and Nottingham Panthers ice hockey players and a weekly sofa selfie social media competition and 10am Treat giveaways and offers.
Geoff Williams, a director of the Nottingham BID, said: “The Summer of Independents initiative was designed to showcase our independent offering with a diverse range of promotional activities and the Independent Festival is a fitting climax to a highly successful campaign to raise awareness and encourage people to support them.”
