A SPECIAL festival for a special place, that is what the artistic mastermind behind 2018’s SO Festival is promising.
Plans are now in full swing for this year’s arts and cultural family extravaganza, which takes place on the last day of August and first weekend of September.
For the first time this year, the festival will concentrate on venues along the coast – with areas of Mablethorpe and Skegness transformed with arts, events, family shows and entertainment. Some of the best cultural acts from both the UK and Europe will be arriving for what is one of the largest open-air events of its kind in the country.
Another first for SO Festival in 2018 is the appointment of one of the most experienced European artistic directors, Danish-born Jens Frimann Hansen. Jens is part of the Danish based Helsingør Teater, which is promising to bring some truly fantastic and spectacular acts from across Europe, with a very special highlight planned for the main Saturday evening show in Skegness.
“Skegness is a very special place and our festival will reflect that, giving both residents and tourists a flavour of something very different and fun – with acts that will engage and truly entertain all the family,” said Jens.
He revealed that there will be a full family programme in the town’s Tower Gardens – with an artistic edge. Meanwhile, the talented international artists he is bringing have been asked to prepare something ‘very special’ for Skegness, which will see them working with the townspeople.
“This will involve street art and artists with visitors and residents taking part, with of course our spectacular Saturday night show. All in all, you will experience a somehow different festival from what you are used to. Not only in Skegness but in the UK,” promised Jens.
With the full programme about to be finalised, the 2018 website is now up and running, where updates and news will be posted. This 2018 festival is once again being co-ordinated by the Magna Vitae Trust for Leisure and Culture, which is planning events – the vast majority of them free – in Mablethorpe on Friday August 31 from noon until 5pm, and in Skegness on Saturday September 1, from noon until 10pm, and on Sunday, September 2, from noon until teatime.
Magna Vitae’s Cultural Project Co-ordinator Katie-Louise Green said: ”There is real excitement around what we are planning and the introduction of Jens has brought a fantastic addition. Our focus on the coast means we can concentrate on creating something that is going to be truly spectacular and is for the whole of the area as well as visitors.”
For more details, keep checking the SO Festival social media and the website at www.sofestival.org