Pictures: Rich Etteridge
Cambridge’s Big Weekend returns on 8-10 July, with Boney M, The Aces, The Selector and Dario G set to get you dancing
Taking place each July on Parker’s Piece, the Big Weekend is one of the best-loved Cambridge events of the summer. Featuring fantastic fireworks, great live music, family activities and lots more over the course of the weekend, there’s something for all tastes – and this year’s event looks set to be the biggest and best yet. Cambridge Edition is proud to be a partner for this huge, free party in Cambridge, and we’ve got all the information you need to make sure you have as much fun as possible!
Friday
Once you’ve downed tools at work for the week, make a beeline for Parker’s Piece for an evening of fantastic music which culminates in a huge fireworks display.
The line-up for Friday night includes local favourites Fred’s House and their feel-good retro folk sound, as well as uber-talented 17-year-old Tom Korni, winner of last year’s Cambridge Has Talent (below).
90s hitmakers Dario G – remember them? – will be getting tracks like Sunchyme and Carnaval de Paris stuck in our heads for another 20 years too, but the crowning glory of the line-up (for us at least) has to be Boney M.
Makers of immortal disco nuggets like Daddy Cool, Sunny, Rasputin and Brown Girl in the Ring, Boney M. ruled the airwaves in the late 70s. They racked up more than 80 million record sales during their decade-long reign on the charts, sashaying around the globe and performing to fans everywhere from America to Russia.
Embodying the golden days of disco with their flamboyant costumes, wildly gyrating frontman and stupidly catchy tunes, they became a worldwide phenomenon.
The good news is, the spirit of this sequinned disco sensation goes on, and this summer you can relive the magic of the glittery glory days right here in Cambridge. Joined by three other talented performers (below), Maizie Williams from the original line-up will perform on the Friday night of the Big Weekend, playing all the Boney M. classics and promising quite a party for the crowd.
“The show will take people back in time to the happy days of Boney M., with a more up-to-date musical sound,” Maizie told Cambridge Edition when we asked what they had up their sparkly sleeves for the Big Weekend.
Speaking of sparkles, she remained tight-lipped when asked exactly what she’d be wearing for the show, saying only that: “I always take three different costumes and then decide what to wear once I get to the venue and feel the vibe.” (We’d expect nothing less than multiple outfit options, fingers crossed for some serious lamé).
Asked about her favourite memories from the old Boney M. days, she remembers the group’s very first gig in Holland in 1975 as a special time, though the ultimate was playing in Russia – then the USSR – when they were one of the very few bands allowed to perform. In fact, they still tour in Russia, where they remain hugely popular – along with many other corners of the world, with a fan base of young and old. Asked what she thinks the secret to Boney M.’s enduring appeal is, Maizie thinks it’s pretty simple, saying it’s just down to “the really happy sound of the music and the simple lyrics”.
Catch them strutting their stuff on Friday night, when we’ll find out if they’ll continue the Big Weekend tradition started by Slade last year (who performed Merry Christmas Everybody in sweltering July sunshine), by performing their own festive classic, Mary’s Boy Child. We’ll see you there!
Friday Line-Up
6pm: Heart FM DJs
6.15pm: Tom Korni
7.15pm: Fred’s House
8.15pm: Dario G
9.05pm: Boney M. feat Maizie Williams
10pm: Fireworks display
6-10pm: There will also be French market stalls, plus a variety of food and drink on offer as well as a fully stocked bar, which will be serving until 10.30pm.
Saturday
Music
There’s another brilliant selection of artists to get everyone dancing on Saturday. Representing local talent will be indie outfit The Abstracts, a Cambridge four-piece known for their high energy, Buzzcocks style sound. They’ll be joined by fellow Cambridge act The Dowsing Sound Collective (above): our city’s supercool choir who love nothing more than belting out great tunes with so much heartfelt passion that they’ll bring a tear to your eye.
Also on Saturday, The Selector will be getting the crowd grooving with their irresistible Two-tone ska beats, while Rocheii bring left-field pop, driven by funky rhythms, shimmering guitars and raspy vocals.
Equally funked-out are Permission to Dance (right), who vow to party like it’s 1999, and MC Xander, the Brit producer who makes captivating tunes created using only his voice and a loopstation.
The biggies on Saturday are The Aces, who are keeping the music and legend of the iconic Jamaican reggae star Desmond Dekker alive and well. Comprising Delroy Williams, original member of Dekker’s backing band, and Glenroy Oakley, former lead singer of Greyhound, they’ll be performing classic tracks like Israelites, You Can Get It if you Really Want, and Jamaican Ska, with a cracking backing band.
Food
Hungry? Get your feast on with a host of fantastic local traders selling their tasty wares on Parker’s Piece. Pick up cakes, brownies and quiches at George’s Bakery, Greek delicacies including spinach pie and baklava from Borakis, and top quality meats and home-made pies from Camcattle and Wild Flour Kitchen. The Cambridge Chili Sauce Company will also be selling their heat-filled goodness, whilst Ely Fudge Company will be tempting with their beautiful home-made sweet treats. This pop-up artisan food hall will also be serving up cordials, olive oils, iced teas, cheeses and much more.
Pink Festival
From 7pm, the Pink Festival will be setting up camp in the marquee on Parker’s Piece for an evening of flamboyant fun and entertainment. An LGBTQ festival which has been a well-loved presence in Cambridge for many years, they’re promising comedy, music and fabulous cabaret from The Fleurettes. Even better, it’s 100{b486c5a37ab2d325d17e17d701cb2567b1ecd1814e8ceb33effa2a4f1f171d46} free!
Sports zone
From 12 until 5pm, get active with free activities in the sports zone including skating on a pop-up roller rink, table tennis in the Ping Pong Parlour, bouldering on a mobile wall, football coaching with the Cambridge United Trust on an inflatable pitch and a mini Olympics challenge.
Family fun
Families are invited to come along and get crafty and creative at the Make and Create tent, which will offer a showcase of educational (but still lots of fun!) kids’ activities. It’s hosted by the Cambridge University Museums group, which incorporates the Fitzwilliam, Kettle’s Yard and the Museum of Zoology, amongst others.
Also on Saturday, you can swing by the Fun Lab, which will be laying on all sorts of intriguing science-based experiments and activities to get stuck into (and then morph into a Silent Disco come the evening). Got a little bookworm on your hands? They’ll love The Big Read, a showcase of storytelling and more, geared towards promoting the love of books, joy of reading and sheer pleasure of listening to tall tales and short stories.
Picturehouse cinemobile (Saturday and Sunday)
Film buffs should seek out this travelling cinema, an articulated lorry which transforms into a fully enclosed 100-seat cinema auditorium when parked. The line-up of films will include short films from local film-makers, kids’ entertainment, LGBT shorts and films from the Tindersticks project.
Saturday Line-Up
12pm: The Dowsing Sound Collective
12.45pm: The Abstracts
1.35pm: Rapademic
2.20pm: Rocheii
3.15pm: MC Xander
5.15pm: Permission to Dance
6.10pm: The Treatment
7.10pm: TnT
8.05pm: Desmond Dekker Band: The Aces
9.05pm: The Selecter
Sunday
Sunday is International Day and Cambridge Mela at the Big Weekend, with a day of global-inspired entertainment taking place from 12 until 8pm.
It promises to be a feast of unmissable sights, sounds and smells, with international cuisine, dancing, demos, crafts and more. As well as the World Dance Marquee, the main stage will host acts including acclaimed salsa and charango band Charanga del Norte, who’ll be serving up lively Latin rhythms. They’ll be joined by Electric Jalaba, who describe their sound as ‘space-age gnawa’, plus RSVP, a group spearheading the renaissance of live Bhangra in the UK and credited with bringing the genre to mainstream audiences. Having wowed crowds at Glastonbury, they know how to get a party started. Also promising a great show are The Trojans, a band who incorporate influences from ska to Celtic, Japanese and blues, all wrapped up in an irresistible good-time groove.
Sunday will also offer a stall from the YMCA, plus Bollywood dance workshops, henna painting and The Bangladeshi Culturel Show.
Sunday Line-Up
12.15pm: Charanga del Norte
1pm: Electric Jalaba
2pm: RSVP Bhangra
3pm: The Trojans
4.40–8pm: Mela featuring Jay Kadn, Panjabi MC & Raghav
