Olympic Flame to take centre stage in Nottingham

Details of the FREE evening celebration being held to welcome the Olympic Torch to Nottingham City have been unveiled, marking the 2012 hour countdown to the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The two hour celebration takes place in the Old Market Square on Thursday 28 June between 5.15pm and 7.30pm. It will give thousands of Nottingham people the chance to share in the excitement of the Flame’s arrival and enjoy a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay (Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung). Local talent will also feature prominently in the event.

Up and coming musician, Loick Essien has just been confirmed as Coca Cola’s live act for Nottingham whilst Lloyds TSB and Samsung will each present a 20 minutes of visually stunning acrobatic and dance performances. The audience will be able to take part in a number of Olympic related activities before and during the show, courtesy of Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung - including the chance to be photographed with the London 2012 Torch.

Nottingham City Council has commissioned Dance4 and Lakeside Arts Centre to work with the best of local talent to present two, ten-minute performances during the evening celebration. The second, ten minute slot will bring the evening event to a big number culmination around 7.30pm. Entitled ‘Heroes of Nottingham’, this show will celebrate the achievements of some of the city’s iconic sporting and cultural heroes through a specially created music theatre and dance performance.

The performers selected from recent ‘Nottingham’s Got Talent’ auditions are aged between 17 and 81 and represent a broad range of talent and skills from across the city. Rehearsals are underway, with overall artistic direction by Martin Berry and a creative team including choreographers New Art Club, musical direction by David and Val Machells, text by Stephen Lowe, and digital visuals by Barret Hodgson.

The final leg of the torch relay will be undertaken by Olympic Champions Torvill and Dean who are also performing a choreographed dance on ice with the Flame as part of an Ice Gala event at the National Ice Centre. Torvill and Dean will arrive into Old Market Square with the torch towards the end of the two-hour show to light a celebration cauldron on stage which will enable the Olympic Flame to be seen by the crowds.

A spectacular ‘Follow the Light’ procession will take place once the official event is brought to a close, featuring around 100 local people dressed in carnival costumes.

In addition to this, Nottingham City Council has teamed up with BBC Radio Nottingham and We Are Nottingham to host a Big Night Out, an evening of entertainment, attractions and special offers from 7.30pm until late at key landmarks as well as bars and restaurants across the city. It is hoped that people will take advantage of the offers and FREE entertainment and continue celebrating with friends and family. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Councillor Dave Trimble Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Customers at Nottingham City Council, said: “With plans for the evening celebration really starting to take shape, we hope people will start to get excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity and think about how they will celebrate the Olympic Torch coming to Nottingham. It’s a real honour for the city to be part of the UK’s greatest sporting event for generations and it will be a wonderful evening of entertainment that everyone can enjoy.” 

The torch comes to Nottingham on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 June, day 41 and 42 of its journey.  Residents are invited to welcome the Olympic Flame to their street, celebrate the achievements of the inspirational Torchbearers who will run in their community and share in the excitement. Regular updates, announcements and the street level detail of the relay route can be found on the Game On website, visit www.mynottingham.gov.uk/gameon

Other key city landmarks which the Olympic Torch will visit include Victoria Embankment and Sneinton Square where it is hoped local residents will turn out to watch the torch as it passes. There will be entertainment at each including fun sports activities, dance and live music for everyone to enjoy.

Preparations are well underway at The National Ice Centre who are organising a special Ice Gala event featuring Olympic champions Torvill & Dean who will take to the ice to perform a choreographed dance with the Torch. The Ice Gala which starts at 5.15pm is a ticketed event. Registration will open on 18 May 2012 and tickets will be distributed on a first come basis. Full details on the gala and the ticket application process will be released closer to the time. For the latest news see our website www.National-Ice-Centre.com