Taking place across Rotherham town centre, The Birthday Party will feature a full daytime programme for local schools (open for all to enjoy) before a large-scale evening celebration begins at 6pm.
Cllr Marshall, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces, explains: "This finale will be like nothing Rotherham has ever seen before, and a fitting celebration of a remarkable year in which young people have led the way creatively.
"The vibrant programme showcases their talent and participation and demonstrates our ambition for the brightest future for them in Rotherham. Children and young people are now firmly at the centre of our borough’s cultural future."
The evening celebrations begin at 6pm with family-friendly activities and a dramatic Fire Garden installation in Minster Yard. This features flaming sculptures, burning bushes, giant lotus flowers, and extraordinary fire-powered kinetic artworks, including The Fire Bird and Bubbles of Love.
At around 7pm, internationally acclaimed rapper OneDa will debut a brand-new anthem about Rotherham, co-written with local young people who will perform alongside her.
From approximately 7.30pm, the main show begins in All Saints Square. Created by artistic directors Walk the Plank, this multisensory show centres on a fantastical bedtime tale, "Dreaming Up A Story," journeying through a magical version of Rotherham.
Featuring large-scale puppetry, the story was written by young people working with Grimm & Co, conceived by creative director Bev Ayre, and directed by Richard Babington. The performance is accompanied by original music from Patrick Dineen, projections by Illuminos, and pyrotechnic effects from Peter Finnegan.
At 8pm, live music from Sheffield MC KDOT will bring the show to a dramatic close. Grace Bower, 21, assistant creative producer, added: "Being part of Children’s Capital of Culture has shown us that our voices matter. The finale is our story, our music and our celebration."
During the day, local schools will gather at Rotherham Minster for a special choir workshop before heading to All Saints Square to meet The Baby, a breath-taking 30ft puppet representing the 13 babies born on average each day at Rotherham Maternity Services.
School children will present handmade birthday cards, sing to The Baby, and enjoy a lively performance of the theatre show The Queen of Hearts, as the puppet's toys burst into life through the magic of theatre.
Throughout the day, Rotherham Minster will host exhibitions celebrating the borough’s transformative year. Work by land artist James Brunt, created with children across the borough using natural materials, will be displayed alongside poetry inspired by the artworks.
An original soundtrack by musician Caro C, developed with pupils from St Ann’s Junior and Infant School, will fill the Minster with the hopes, dreams, and birthday wishes of Rotherham’s young people.
Children’s Capital of Culture website
Images: Children's Capital of Culture / Walk the Plank
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