Blackburn Flower Festival set to boost local economy
The organisers of Blackburn Cathedral Flower Festival, which returns this June for the first time in four years, is expecting the event to bring a big boost to local businesses, as they announce new partnership with the town’s business improvement district.
Thousands of blooms will fill Blackburn Cathedral with spectacular contemporary installations. The stunning light and open architecture will provide an ideal environment to showcase beautiful and imaginative floral displays designed by the internationally renowned, Craig Bullock & Bill Dixon as Artistic Directors, assisted by Victor Rogerson and working with Flowers North West, the festival has the theme “Heaven and Earth”.
The BID is supporting the event by sponsoring a range of demonstrations & events which will take place across the town, including King George’s Hall, Blackburn Central Library and Blackburn Market, as well as the Cathedral.
A highlight of the Festival will be a major Flower Demonstration by the internationally renowned Tom De Houwer of Belgium, in his only public appearance in the UK this year.
Lowri Cope, one of the organisers of the Flower Festival, said:
“We are very lucky to have Tom coming to Blackburn for this event, which is now attracting visitors and coach trips from across the UK and beyond.
“Visitors should expect to see something very different at the demonstration with Tom, so its time to forget all your preconceptions of a flower demonstration and expect the unexpected.
“We are thrilled to have the support of Blackburn BID and, with their help, we are expecting around 20,000 visitors to come to the Flower Festival and already we have bookings from the North of Scotland right down to Dover on the South Coast. We are hoping that all local businesses can get on board and make the event a fabulous showcase for the town and what we have to offer.”
Catherine Price, manager of Blackburn BID, told us:
“Blackburn BID are proud to be supporting the Blackburn Cathedral Flower Festival 2020, and the delivery of events and attractions across Blackburn town centre. The Flower Festival is a fantastic event for Blackburn and should see visitors coming to the town centre from across the country.
“The event organisers and the BID are working hard to make sure that visitors have a brilliant time at the event and in the town centre, so that they tell people about it and keep coming back.
“The Blackburn Cathedral Flower Festival is part of an amazing calendar of events being delivered in Blackburn town centre in 2020 – it promises to be a very exciting year!”
Blackburn Cathedral Flower Festival is open to the public from Thursday 18th June through to Sunday 21st June 2020. In addition to the spectacular installations within the Cathedral, with the theme “Heaven and Earth”, there will also be a range of fringe events as part of the Festival. These include a Preview Dinner, The Secret Garden Evening Jazz & Lights Event, Demonstrations by Tom De Houwer and NAFAS demonstrators and an intimate concert of midsummer music by the Renaissance Singers.
The event, which was last staged in 2016, is expected to draw thousands of visitors from across the UK to marvel at the multitude of blooms which will fill Blackburn Cathedral with spectacular contemporary installations. With floral displays designed by the internationally renowned Craig Bullock and Bill Dixon as Artistic Directors, assisted by Victor Rogerson with support from Flowers North West, the festival has the theme “Heaven and Earth”.
The Blackburn Cathedral Flower Festival 2020 is in partnership with Plumbs and is supported with sponsorship from Blackburn BID, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Blackburn Market, Cheetham Jackson, The DDC Group, Star Academies, High Level Maintenance, Westholme School, Perspex International, The Mall Blackburn with media partners BBC Radio Lancashire and Square Cactus.
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Some events have limited capacity so, to avoid disappointment, booking in advance is recommended. For more information and to book go to VisitLancashire.com