Location: Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ
Cost: Free entry. Food and drink will be available to buy from traders on The Esplanade.
Time: 4pm – 8pm
Fiery displays, blazing sculptures and illuminated installations created by artists and pyro technicians from multi-award winning outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank will be open to walk through from 4pm to 8pm each evening, with the Christmas lights switch-on taking place on Sunday, 24 November 2024..
A free immersive experience for all ages, Ignite will feature bubbling goblets of fire and a daisy chain of flaming flowers, alongside sculptures that twist, flap or erupt with balls of fire. Walking through the gardens visitors will also get to see a fire bird with blazing eyes, 2 smaller birds gently circling a flaming nest and other delights. Look out for ‘In the Balance’ – a seemingly impossible counter-balance of steel and fire, with rotating globes of flame, one of the highlights of this year’s event.
Each evening, a fire drawing designed and made by local residents will be ignited alongside flaming hot performances from some of the north’s top talent including Flame Oz, Bring the Fire and Rochdale’s Skylight Circus Arts. Street theatre and interactive arts group Travelling Light Circus who got a fantastic reception from the crowds last year will be returning too. Also back for 2024 is ‘Drum Machine’ – a 20 strong drumming collective, who’ll be bringing their techno infused beats to the event.
There will also be hot food, mulled wine and other seasonal drinks available to buy.
Ignite is organised by Rochdale Borough Council in partnership with Walk the Plank and Culture Co-op, a ‘Creative People and Places’ programme, funded by Arts Council England.
