Opening weekend
Welcome to the first of our daily climate change festival blogs, reporting from Birmingham with the highlights of the nine-day festival. Join the discussion.
After months of preparation, the Birmingham climate change festival finally kicked off this weekend. It made an impressive start, with thousands of visitors flocking to the city centre for the launch.
They were treated to a spectacular display of free running, a Claystation creative planning session, thought-provoking new benches framing city views – and of course the stunning 95-foot pylon that is the festival centrepiece.
There was real excitement as the festival got under way on Saturday afternoon, with crowds gathering in a sunny Victoria Square to see free runners from Urban Freeflow using bollards and statues around the square as launch pads for their acrobatic ‘conversation with the urban landscape’.
Hundreds of festival visitors joined in the Claystation event to create imaginative visions of the Birmingham of tomorrow, using half a tonne of clay to remodel the city – adding features on top of a map. New city features which are clearly hankered after include cycle paths, farmers’ markets, allotments and many more trees. Other features which the modellers are less likely to see realised include ‘a permanently running tap, to raise awareness’, or power-free neighbourhood pylons studded in every neighbourhood.
We do agree pylons are pretty good at awareness raising, though. The dramatic, unsettling pylon which has been erected for the festival week is a familiar object, out of context. With a corn base, it looks lifted straight from its usual home, the field. Pylons allow us to use energy without seeing the stark chimneys and cooling towers of the power station. Part of the point of this festival is make the invisible visible – and erected in the centre of the city, right outside the council house, the pylon announces that climate change is here and now.
But the pylon is something quite brutal made into something beautiful and optimistic – helping us think about what a very low carbon city will feel like.
The 14 benches, dotted around the city centre and framing views of places that are about to change, are being used for impromptu performances and picnics. And an al freso photographic exhibition features places across Birmingham that are looking to a sustainable future.
Sunday saw thousands more people coming into the city centre for festival family day, with street theatre, a carousel and helter skelter and Jelly and Dan from Cbeebies offering children an understanding about nature and climate change. A giant video screen showed environmental-themed films including the stunning documentary The March of the Penguins. Visitors took advantage of free bike repairs and recycling advice and leave their views on climate change at the special green video diary room. And city tours and private views hosted by leading architects took visitors to places like the top of the iconic Rotunda and around the newly confirmed Eastside city park site.
Our ear to the ground in Birmingham, Sophie Scott, reports from the information stand in Centenary Square: ‘It has been really busy with loads of interest. There have been one or two sceptics but generally people are very enthusiastic. Lots of people want to know more about Birmingham’s plans for tackling climate change and there have been lots of questions about transport in particular.
‘The pylon has been getting loads of interest, with animateurs talking to people about it as they pass by. The benches are being used in loads of different ways, from families eating their lunch to groups posing for photos.’
Media coverage of the festival has included features in national, local and specialist press, TV, radio and online.
There are a total of 181 activities happening across the nine days of the festival. The festival aims to engage the public on climate change by offering events that are collective, sociable and fun.
