Something Wishful

12th November 2008

FRIDAY 12TH DECEMBER 2008
ON THE RIVER DEE AT THE GROVES
6PM

Chester Performs has announced details of what it describes as “the most spectacular cultural event of the year”, which is due to take place on 12th December on the river Dee at the Groves.

Featuring over 35 schools and community groups, and 800 participants from across Cheshire, Something Wishful is the grand finale for Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 2008 and features fireworks as well as an amazing floating procession down the River Dee. School children and community groups have been spending the term building floating “wish” structures, some of them gigantic, which will be lit and floated down the river from specially built pontoons jutting out from the Groves. There will also be a huge firework display, lanterns and human Catherine wheels. Over 5000 people are expected to turn up for the family friendly event.

The event has been a joint production with Emergency Exit Arts who are one of the country’s leading creators of spectacles and community celebrations.

Amber Jones, Chester Performs’ Project Co-ordinator, has high hopes for a truly amazing spectacle: “We are already developing a reputation for creating real family friendly, but innovative and exciting events. This one is by far the biggest and most ambitious to date. Also it’s a brilliant way for the family to start the Christmas celebrations, which a bracing trip down the river to eat a few hot chestnuts and see something astonishing”.

The event is inspired by the Thai “Lloy Krathong” ceremony where whole communities come together to launch floating “wishes” or krathongs on the tributaries and rivers. The krathongs being made by schools and groups are going to be mounted on motorised floating devices as they make their way down river to a blaze of fireworks.

Chester Performs is also producing a special small scale krathong template for families to make their own floating wishes and launch them on the night. The organisers are making a new tributary so that families can launch their wishes from the safety of dry ground.

The event happens on Friday 12th December at 6pm and promises to be an occasion not to be missed.

For further information please go to www.chesterperforms.com or call 01244 409113.