Historic Quarter is Most Vibrant in City

On October 2nd, Magdalen Street is celebrating its unique character in street festival style with performances, exhibitions, workshops, social events and unusual shopping opportunities.  

The goal of the day is to bring together neighbourhood residents with the street's many fans to highlight its role as the hub of creative, independently-owned, ethnically diverse and environmentally sustainable businesses.

Magdalen Street is one of the city's best-kept secrets. Although it's just a 5 minute walk from the Cathedral it is not as well known as the Norwich Lanes. It was home to Norwich's Strangers for more than five hundred years and it continues to attract people from all over the world. Magdalen St. was the subject of an innovative make-over in 1959 – work that was admired nationwide and copied by Councils keen to regenerate run-down areas – is now positioned to be a model of community-led development.

Organised by local residents and members of Transition Norwich, the event will bring together artists and artisans, musicians and performers, traders, residents and local groups.

There is plenty of opportunity for people to get involved. Help will be needed ahead of the event for:

· a cleanup of the flyover area to ready it for use as a performance area (Sat 26th Sept - see post below)

· liasing with the many street musicians and performers

· we need people who live locally to the street to be a 'human book’ and share with visitors about the history of the area

And on the day, you can help by:

· being a steward – helping people who may be lost or need help finding an activity

· decorating the street – putting up bunting, blowing up balloons!

· Help set up and cue local bands at the Flyover Stage

Helen Simpson-Slapp, one of the organisers said: “We are creating a street festival to bring the community together to have fun, but also we would like to see a long lasting effect. There's no reason why this festival should not continue and grow over the years, and help connect people in this area of the City”.

Rachel Lalchan joined the organising group after arriving in Norwich from South London where she had set up a Transition group: “ Having moved to a new city, I was keen to be involved in local community life and taking part in this group event enables me to do just that. It also means I get to know my local area really well and Magdalen Street is a wonderful place that seems to be continuously evolving”.