A magical mystery tour celebrating music, culture and memories from the 1960s will see one of the UK’s leading Beatles tribute acts headline the main stage in the Market Square.
The Counterfeit Beatles – who have previously supported the likes of Coldplay at Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival – will perform the iconic band’s biggest hits, while BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith will treat crowds to an hour-long DJ set.
A host of local bands and solo artists, including Denotones, 2 Gentlemen Play the Pops, a ukulele band, Millie Gough, Ollie Hayes and Dan Hughes will also be performing classic tracks throughout the day.
The free-to-attend event, being held from 11am to 8pm on Saturday, September 10, has been organised by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and will be one of the final major events in the Market Square before much-anticipated redevelopment work gets underway.
Mark Mullen, operations manager for Northampton Town Centre BID, said: “The town centre will be transported back to the 1960s, with vintage street circus acts performing throughout the main shopping streets, hit movies based on the decade being shown at Northampton Filmhouse and a vinyl fair taking place at Element, as well as an incredible line-up of live music.
“The 1960s is arguably one of the most iconic decades in British history and this is a chance to celebrate everything about that era that people look back upon so fondly.
“We have curated a line-up with something for everyone, whether it’s enjoying live music and entertainment, looking at classic cars or reminiscing over old photographs of our town centre capturing a bygone age.”
As part of the event, Northampton Museum & Art Gallery will stage a digital exhibition looking back at the 1960s while a display of local sporting memorabilia from the decade will be on show in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton, along with photo opportunities with a cardboard cut-out of The Beatles.
Vintage circus acts performing across the town centre include a contortionist, fire-breathers, a ringmaster and hula hoop artists while a circus skills workshop will be held in the Market Square.
Further activities will be held at Northampton Central Library while town centre retailers will be taking part in a photography collection showing how their buildings looked in the era.
West Northamptonshire Council will be providing all-day free parking in the council owned town centre multi-storey car parks on the day itself.
