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Unique, quirky and funny street theatre festival. Brings in some of the best national and international street theatre acts to perform for free. Some describe it as “Mini Fringe”. In previous years Market Harborough town centre has been brought to life by a vibrant mix of funny walkabout characters. Multiple stages have delivered original static performances and stunts, and a large walking spectacular acts have astounded the audience. There has been a Children Village in the Memorial Gardens to entertain the younger audience with professional face-painters, story tellers, drop-in circus school and craft sessions.
What can we expect this year…
This year the popular Arts Fresco street theatre festival in Leicestershire will return this September in online form. The annual one-day event is one of the largest, free street theatre festivals in the UK and is traditionally held each September around the streets of Market Harborough. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s festival will be pre-recorded and broadcast via YouTube on Sunday 13 September 2020.
A selection of performances from Social distanced Edmund and Hillary, The Covid Police, Team BGees and HMS Punnafore will be filmed prior to the event in a Covid-secure manner around the town. These acts will be included in a virtual event, to be hosted by one of Britain’s leading festival and street theatre companies, Markmark, that will be broadcast online on the Arts Fresco YouTube channel from 11.30am on Sunday 13 September 2020.
Neil Kitson, Chair of the organising committee of Arts Fresco commented: “Arts Fresco is a truly inspiring event that traditionally brings around 10,000 people to the streets of Market Harborough to enjoy some of the best street theatre acts from across the UK and Europe.
“Given the current Covid-19 restrictions and in the interests of community safety, we’re bringing the event online this year to give people a flavour of what to look forward to when it’s safe enough for the festival to return to the streets of the town in 2021,” he added.
Arts Fresco is organised by a dedicated team of local business professionals who are passionate about arts and about Market Harborough.
The sponsors of Arts Fresco include: Market Harborough Building Society (TBC), Harborough Twenty12 Lions Club, Rotary Club of Market Harborough, Neil Kitson and Duncan Murray Wines.
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2 Reviews on “Market Harborough ‘Virtual’ Arts Fresco”
What a load of rubbish- expected it to be bigger and better after not being on last year, but was hugely disappointed, this years acts included a bubble wizard blowing smoke filled bubbles at little children- clearly causing them distress and tears, also king brasstards singing songs containing swear words- completely inappropriate again for little kids, don’t the organisers vet the acts when booking them? . The acts should have also worn microphones so we could actually hear them- they did previous years. People brought dogs with them which were aggressive when meeting other dogs and owners didn’t control them or ignored it. Hardly any walk about acts between the main areas performing. Actually hear several people say it’s disappointing this year. Arts fresco was only the best in the first year which was actually enjoyable now each year gets worse and now not worth it
Hi Lynn,
Firstly we don’t represent the Arts Fresco in any way.
We’re sad to hear of your disappointment with the event, and that you experienced some inconvenience with dogs that members of the public brought along. It’s important to remember that the organisers do go to a great deal of effort to put on this popular free event which, and it wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of the volunteers and sponsors.