The Magdalen Street Celebration began in 2010 when local residents and artists HelenofNorwich and Karen Steadman decided to organise a creative community event for the Magdalen Street area. The goal was to highlight the burgeoning creativity and diversity of the street as well as the distinctly sustainable focus of many of the retail and charity stores.
The group of organisers have brought unwavering enthusiasm and colourful ideas, live locally and are involved with Transition Norwich* which is helping to create resilient communities throughout the city, leading the way towards a future which is sustainable, locally-centred, healthier and happier for people and planet. A festive event seemed like the perfect way to build the kind of networks that are so important in creating a resilient community able to weather the shocks of economic slow-down, the end of the cheap fuel (known as 'peak oil') and the realities of climate change.
With the promise of bunting, cake, music and revelry ahead, no further reason for a party was needed and so the Magdalen Street Celebration was born. Initial meetings attracted a variety of local folk with creative and organisational skills including residents, artists, traders and local councillors who put together the first event, held in October 2010. It proved to be an overwhelming success, well received by participants and visitors alike.
Since then, local interest in celebrating all that is great about our local community has grown rapidly. 2011 built on the first year's success and attracted even more involvement from local people and with the blessing of extraordinarily sunny weather on 1st October many visitors, both returners and new, were entertained and able to take part in the festivities.
This year, 2012, we are thrilled to be working with our neighbours in the St. Augustine's area and the event has transformed into the Magdalen Augustine Celebration. With the recent and ongoing renovations, new shops and services and the general revamping of St. Augustine's Street, this October will be the perfect time to celebrate all that both areas have to offer.
'Creativity, Sustainability and Diversity' remain the key themes of the event as this often overlooked neighbourhood is overflowing with an amazing wealth of talent, skills, people and culture and despite attempts to conventionalise and homogenise it, the area has its roots firmly planted in a more sustainable way of life.
The Magdalen-Augustine Celebration (MAC) is, above all, a community event celebrating the people who live, work and visit here. Without your help and support, October 2012 will be a much duller month! So get in touch and let's get ready to out-party both the Olympics and Jubilee!
Click here to get involved!
* Transition Norwich is part of the Transition Network numbering over 350 towns and cities internationally.
