7th February 2024
Hull’s maritime heritage will take centre stage at an event next month.
Hull City Council and Walk the Plank, one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts companies, are delighted to be bringing this celebration of maritime heritage to Hull’s city centre during the early evening of Thursday 14 March 2024.
A flaming torch-lit procession featuring 500 community volunteers will make its way from Hull Minster to Hull Marina, where audiences will enjoy a spectacular performance of The Tower of Light - transforming Hull into a magical theatre of pyrotechnics, performance and music.
In 1998, the last of Britain’s many lighthouses was automated. The Tate (Liverpool) commissioned Walk the Plank to mark the departure of lighthouse keepers from their remote outposts around our coastline, and the show has toured internationally ever since.
The Tower of Light celebrates the Lighthouse, and the people who lived and worked in them: the Lighthouse Keepers who kept sailors safe for centuries. It is a beautifully choreographed piece of outdoor theatre, centred around a spectacular Lighthouse and its three hapless Lighthouse Keepers who keep the Tower animated with light, fire and stunning pyrotechnic effects.
The free event takes place from 7.10pm on Thursday 14 March, arriving at Hull Marina for the Tower of Light performance. The event is expected to finish at approximately 8.15pm.
Councillor Rob Pritchard, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure, said: “We are excited to be bringing this event for the people of Hull and beyond. The Tower of Light will animate the Old Town and Hull Marina with fire, music, performance and procession.
“We know events like this prove to be popular at this time of year and we are looking forward to welcoming people to the city centre and enjoying this spring performance, shining a light on Hull’s Maritime Project.”
Further event details will be revealed soon.
The Tower of Light event is being funded by Hull City Council’s Hull Maritime project. It received significant funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and encompasses the transformation of the city’s maritime treasures, Hull Maritime Museum, Queens Gardens, South Blockhouse, North End Shipyard and the restoration of two ships – the Spurn Lighthouse and Arctic Corsair. More info at maritimehull.co.uk
Running alongside this event, the creative and cultural sector, and anyone who has a vested interest will be invited to the city’s first annual cultural conference. More details on this event will follow later this week.
