350th anniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton – Finale Event

The 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton will be marked with a special event in Market Square to round off a week-long series of free activities across the town.

The finale of a busy events programme will be held on Saturday, 20 September, with an activity day in Market Square from 11am to 7.30pm, to be followed by a service at All Saints’ Church at 7.30pm featuring guests including Rev Richard Coles.

A big screen will show a specially commissioned animation by Northampton Film Festival and The Creative Place. The film is the result of a project involving hundreds of local people answering the question, if Northampton burnt down again tomorrow, what would people save, what would people rebuild first and what would make it feel like our Northampton again?

Local children have contributed drawings to the animation, local animators have shared their skills and market-goers have shared their thoughts through workshops, vox pops and on the ideas wall at The Creative Place. The resulting film will premiere at 1.30pm.

Throughout the day there will be an extended version of The Creative Place’s Makers Market featuring artisan producers and creatives, a bar by V&B, a performance from the Bach choir and displays from Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue plus history tours and a chance to complete Northampton Town Council’s Great Fire Trail app.

Live music and DJ sets will be provided from the likes of Inspiration FM, United African Association, CLICK Arts Foundation, Saphron and The Performing Room.

West Northamptonshire Council will also be sharing its vision for the redevelopment of Northampton town centre, echoing the efforts to rebuild the town in the wake of the blaze in 1675.

As part of the anniversary, a spectacular light show will be beamed onto All Saints’ Church every night from Monday, 15 September to Saturday, 20 September, while Fiori Musicali will perform a spine-tingling interpretation of Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks at the church at 7pm on Thursday, 18 September.

Northants Makers Market. Along with our range of local makers selling handmade goods – with lots of new sellers as well as some regular friends – there will be:

– Live entertainment on stage all day

– Free activities for all from Inspiration Arts (carnival accessories workshop) & urbansketchers (sketching round the square – materials provided)

– Premiere of Northampton Film Festival’s animated short film all about the Great Fire, made with members of the community supported by CLICK Arts Foundation and West Northamptonshire Council

– More NFF short film screenings from animation to live action and heritage films

– Pop up bar from V&B

Schedule:

• 11am Northants Makers Market opens and Inspiration FM take to the stage
• 11am Carnival fire accessories drop-in workshop begins
• 12pm Short films on the big screen
• 12.30pm Mini carnival parade – if you’ve made an accessory, get involved!
• 1pm United African Association drumming
• 1pm-2pm more carnival fire accessory drop-in workshops
• 1.30pm Great Fire of Northampton film premiere
• 2pm Bach Choir
• 2.40pm Heritage and NFF short films
• 3.30pm Family-friendly Burlesque for Confidence performance
• 4pm More films made by NFF including their new Great Fire of Northampton film
• 4.30pm The Performing Room band
• 6pm Northants singer/songwriter Saphron
• Followed by The Performing Room DJ set