A free gig to celebrate a new outdoor performance space in Huddersfield went down a storm … quite literally.

Ever-popular Huddersfield rock band Storm headlined the five-hour gig at the new St Peter’s Performance Space next to Huddersfield Parish Church on Saturday night.

The entertainment showed the wide range of ways the performance space can be used so also featured musicians from Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra, Hade Ede Brass Band, youngsters from Huddersfield Stagecoach performing arts doing songs and dance, pupils from Spring Grove Junior, Infant and Nursery School doing a couple of songs, jazzy funksters Fifth Wheel Collective, folk band Hokum and Huddersfield blues, drum and bass legend Pat Fulgoni.

Before the performance space was officially opened by Barry Sheerman, who was Huddersfield MP for 45 years before retiring at the July General Election, a special Celebrate Huddersfield Service was held in the church.

The vicar of Huddersfield, the Rev Canon Rachel Firth described opening the performance space as “a very special event in the life of St Peter’s.”

Guest speaker Pastor Edward Sterling from the New Testament Church of God said he is concerned about the mental health of young people these days and the churches hope young people will use the performance space which is right next to Huddersfield Parish Church in St Peter’s Gardens and can take a crowd up to 1,000.

Food on the entertainment space was provided by Huddersfield Caribbean chef Barrington Douglas in his new mobile catering unit made from a horsebox and the bar was run by by The Keys Coffee House and Kitchen.

The space cost £500,000 to create and is a partnership between the church and Kirklees Council largely funded by Government cash.

Event director the Rev Amanda Ogilvie from Huddersfield Parish Church said: “This brand new outdoor venue has everything needed to stage some brilliant events, including plenty of power sockets for lights and music amps.

“We want people to use it so simply contact the church for more information.”

Respected Huddersfield musician Pat Fulgoni, who performed at the event, said: “Music has the ability to bring people together like no other force on earth but it needs as much help as it can get right now so this new outdoor performance venue is a great addition to the town. It’s an ideal space for a wide range of musical styles and backgrounds.”

To hire the performance space phone the church on 01484 427964 or email office@huddersfieldparishchurch.org

 

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.