When: 23rd August – 8th September 2019
Where: Former Market Hall, Union Street, Wakefield
In a month’s time, The Festival of the Moon begins what will be a fortnight of mostly FREE music, dance, science, and performance activities and events to mark the 50th anniversary of the American astronaut Neil Armstrong having become the first person to walk upon the moon.
Playing host to this festival will be the West Yorkshire cathedral city’s old Market Hall, a building whose last trader moved out 9 months ago and which will now be redeveloped into a creative arts hub. The centrepiece of the festival will be Museum of the Moon by the British installation artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter, this artwork is an extraordinary replica of the moon featuring detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface, ambient moonlight and an evolving soundscape.
Other highlights taking place during the two week duration of The Festival of the Moon include a DJ set on the 24th of August featuring two celebrated drummers, Ross Jarman of local heroes The Cribs and Blur’s Dave Rowntree; talks on 30th August (an evening event for adults) and 31st August (a daytime event for children) from Sheffield’s Helen Sharman, the first British cosmonaut and first woman to visit the Mir space station in 1991; and a Moon Dance on the evening of the 31st August courtesy of two Leeds-based electronic acts, Galaxians and Night Giants.
And then on the 6th of September, Public Service Broadcasting bring their remarkable live show to the 1,000 person capacity former Market Hall where they will play in its entirety their second album, The Race for Space, a record that focused on the US-Soviet space race, between 1957 and 1972.
More details about The Festival of the Moon can be found on its Facebook page and the Experience Wakefield website
Main image of Museum of the Moon courtesy of Luke Jerram
