Free family entertainment comes to St Peters Quarter in July

Free street entertainment will greet visitors to Derby on Saturday, July 2 and 16 – thanks to St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District (BID).

The line-up includes dance performances, workshops and live music and is part of the BID’s programme of events to promote the area.

On Saturday, July 2, a team from Nadia Jane Performing Arts will showcase their work at the St Peters Cross, between St Peter’s Street and East Street, from 11am.
The troupe, which specialises in commercial theatre and is based in Green Lane, recently won the Calling You Out competition in Blackpool. Last month, it performed at the Museum of Making and was also filmed for a BBC TV series.

Award-winning tap dancer, Rebecca Jayne, will entertain visitors on the day too. Rebecca has been dancing since she was six years old and trained at Vanessa’s School of Dance in Belper. She has performed with the National Youth Ballet, the English Youth Ballet, and the European Ballet. As her career developed, Rebecca decided to concentrate on tap dance and musical theatre and currently teaches at Performers College in Birmingham.

To round off the event, UC Dance, a troupe with a wide variety of theatrical dance style, will wow audiences with a special show.

The second family fun day organised by the BID takes place on Saturday, July 16, and will be held at The Spot in Derby from 11am.

Midlands classic R&B band, Godfreys Grit ‘N’ Soul Band, will play its set of 60s Tamla Motown, Soul and Pop. Next to perform will be Ricky and the Retro, an authentic 50s rock and roll band, followed by Ruse Springsteen and the D E Street Band – a Derbyshire-based, female-fronted tribute act.

Helen Wathall, chair of the St Peters Quarter Board and Managing Director of G Wathall & Son in Macklin Street, said: “Running live entertainment is a key part of the BID’s objectives to bring an animated and vibrant feel to the BID area.

“Organising these family fun events continues to be an important part of our work to promote the area and improve the visitor experience here. I am certain that both of these events will be thoroughly enjoyed.”