New line-up revealed for Scarborough’s Open Air Theatre

DAME Kiri Te Kan-awa will be returning to the Open Air Theatre this summer, it has been revealed.

The announcement was made at the venue yesterday by operators Apollo Leisure and Resorts Scarborough when they outlined three major events for the summer season.

The international opera star will be performing as part of the Last Night At The Proms on Sunday August 28 – with more names expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Sam Shrouder, a spokesman for Wychwood festivals – the company appointed by Apollo to manage the Scarborough site – said: “We are talking to a couple of other acts that may come here, but nothing is guaranteed yet.”

In addition to August’s operatic event there will be a repeat of last year’s ’80s Rewind event, which will be on Sunday July 24.

Elton John to appear at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre 2011

ELTON JOHN BRINGS THE CURTAIN UP ON SCARBOROUGH OPEN AIR THEATRE 2011 EVENTS

With a career spanning five decades, and worldwide album sales in excess of 250 million, Elton John is undoubtedly one of the biggest entertainers in the world.

Today it has been announced that he will bring his amazing solo show to the beautiful seaside town of Scarborough, for one special night this summer. The concert at Europe's largest open air theatre will see Elton play to a crowd of nearly 8,000. This fully reserved seated concert will give lucky fans the opportunity to see Elton perform live for the first time ever in Scarborough, in the relatively intimate setting of the newly revamped Open Air Theatre.

Tickets for this show will go on sale on Wednesday 6th April at 9am.

The date at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre will be one of just a handful of dates that Elton will perform in the UK this summer, and one of only two solo shows in the UK. The Rocket Man is also undertaking summer dates with his band across Europe.

His show will include over two hours of hits from an incredible back catalogue, including such classics as 'Bennie and The Jets', 'Crocodile Rock' and 'Your Song'.

Countdown to extreme festival

FULL details have now been released of next month's 360 Extreme Sports Festival in Scarborough's North Bay.

The three-day event, which will take place from September 17 to 19, will feature a music concert at the Open Air Theatre headlined by ska-pop legends Madness, who will be supported by the Stereo MC's.

The festival weekend is set to see Hairy Bob's skate park playing host to a number of competitions, such as Inline Blades, Skating and BMX.

Secret Spot will be sponsoring a rock up and have a go competition, with registration on the Friday and Saturday at Hairy Bob's skate park. All participants have to do is rock up and pull off the best trick they have -and the winner will receive a new skateboard.

It will also include the UK Pro tour surf competition, featuring some of the best surfers in the UK and Europe.

Festival director Fiona Sidwell said: "We believe by making people aware of the environment and linking such a wide variety of sports the 360° festival will become one of Yorkshire's must attend events.

"Delivering a strong message and sports for all, it will also give the local community an opportunity to showcase their talent and learn new skills from the professionals, at the highest level. The addition of the Pro Surf Tour will really put Yorkshire on the map as the leading extreme sports destination."

Organisers have also confirmed The Animal Relentless Bike Tour – Europe's number one mountain bike freestyle team – will be performing over the weekend. The show will feature former World Champion trials rider Martyn Ashton and two of the world's most exciting jump riders, Sam Pilgrim and Blake Samson.

The event, which will begin with a special launch party complete with beach bar, cocktail hut and DJs on Friday September 17, is part of a three-year plan to establish Scarborough as a first class extreme sports destination.

The Saturday will see qualifying heats and semi-finals taking place in a number of extreme sports, with the finals to follow on the Sunday.
Two quirkier elements to the weekend are promised with extreme crazy golf and extreme ironing competitions, while there will also be the chance to soak up the spectacle of sea golf and a yacht race during the weekend.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, added: "This is yet another addition to the county's sporting calendar, giving visitors a dynamic and exciting event to watch."
Tickets are available now.

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Tourism Minister praises Scarborough

SCARBOROUGH'S status as an eminent seaside resort has received a major boost after the town earned high praise from the country's Tourism Minister.

John Penrose visited Scarborough as part of a whistle-stop tour of Britain and admitted to being "amazed" by its attractions.

Mr Penrose's trip, which included the Open Air Theatre as its centrepiece, was designed to give him an insight into a traditional seaside town ahead of a government report on increasing tourism in Britain.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, who helped arrange the visit, said it was a coup to attract someone of Mr Penrose's calibre to the town.

He said: "It was more of a fact finding mission and a chance for him to come and see what Scarborough had to offer.

"Being the MP for Weston-Super-Mare he comes from a seaside resort but was taken by how Scarborough was quite different from his home town.

"He was certainly impressed by Scarborough's standing as the first seaside resort, he liked the look of the town and thought the Open Air Theatre was amazing. We took him on to the stage area and he thought that was quite awe-inspiring.

"I don't know the last time a Tourism Minister came Scarborough and we were really pleased he could visit."

Future funding for Welcome to Yorkshire is under review.

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The surf's up for 'extreme' event

TOP international surfers are heading to Scarborough as part of a major new festival which is coming to the town in September.

The Extreme Sports Festival will be held at the Open Air Theatre in North Bay from September 17 to 19.

It will also feature a music concert - the line-up of which will be announced later this month - and after it was added to the official Pro Surf Tour.

The event, which will feature other sports such as skating, sailing and BMX riding, is part of a three-year plan with Scarborough Council to market the resort as the extreme sports destination on the east coast.

Top sports events at Open Air Theatre

Scarborough's Open Air Theatre will broadcast some of the world's top sporting events on a big screen this summer, it has been confirmed.

People will be able to watch World Cup football, the Wimbledon tennis championships, Formula One Racing and the Glastonbury music festival on a large LED screen at the newly-restored venue free of charge, between June 11 and July 11.

The plans for the BBC Big Screen month of sport, first revealed to the Evening News by Paul Gregg of Apollo Resorts and Leisure Limited last June, are the latest boost for the £3.5 million theatre following the announcement that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will officially open the venue next Thursday.

The plans will be discussed as part of a report to Scarborough Council's projects and partnerships overview and scrutiny committee later this month.

David Archer, the council's strategic director, said: "This excellent news has been well received, and certain items such as the erection of the stage have been brought forward to facilitate the event."

Opera stars Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carreras will perform on the venue's opening night on Friday July 23.

The 6,500-capacity theatre will then host a 1980s Rewind Festival on Saturday July 31, featuring pop legends including Boy George and Paul Young.

It will also welcome CBeebies star Justin Fletcher from July 24-25 and an "extreme sport 360" festival, featuring surfing, skateboarding and brushboarding events, between Friday September 17 and Sunday September 19.

Mr Archer said in a report: "Several of the acts to appear at the Open Air Theatre in the Summer 2010 season have now been announced, including the Gala Opening.

"These are considered to provide the eclectic mix of entertainment from high quality acts which will put the Open Air Theatre on the map as a primary entertainment venue. It is pleasing to advise members that ticket sales are reported to be very good."

Progress on the site has led the council to bring forward the scheduled date of the handover to Apollo.

Mr Archer said: "Tolent are now two weeks away from the date of completion and it is pleasing to advise that all major works are now complete and snagging is in progress.

"As a result of the good performance on meeting the construction programme the original contracted date for handover to Apollo of July 30 can now be brought forward to June 11."

Via Scarborough Evening News

The Queen to officially open the restored £3.5 million open air theatre

THE Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will visit Scarborough on Thursday May 20, it has been confirmed.

They will arrive at the town by Royal Train and will travel to the newly-renovated Open Air Theatre in North Bay to see a short theatrical performance.

The Queen will then officially open the restored £3.5 million theatre by unveiling a plaque.

The Queen and Prince Philip will afterwards travel by car to visit her duchy properties.

They will also visit the new Hares Leap farm shop off the Coastal Road, Burniston, where they will meet the tenants and view the shop's produce.

They will then visit Town Farm in Cloughton and see a presentation on grouse moor improvement.

They will also visit Readman's blacksmiths forge in Cloughton, before having lunch at the Blacksmith's Arms with duchy residents.

In the afternoon they will visit Ripley's Farm, Cloughton, meeting the tenants and touring the farm and new buildings.

The Queen last visited Scarborough in 1975, the first time a reigning monarch had visted since Richard III in 1484.

Via: Scarborough Evening News

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