24th National Street Choir festival

Images & montage: Ian Ground

The weekend started with a ceilidh on Friday evening in the Barbour Room at The Sage Gateshead, led by the Redheughers, a local ceilidh band. On Saturday the activities started with a rehearsal for the massed sing, followed by a short parade from The Sage Gateshead to Baltic Square, which is outside the Baltic gallery for contemporary art, next to the river and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. The massed sing took place here.

On Saturday afternoon there were street performances by individual choirs in Newcastle and Gateshead, followed by afternoon and evening concerts to give all participating choirs the opportunity to perform in either the Concourse or Hall 1 of The Sage Gateshead.

On Sunday there was a choice of workshops in the morning followed by a picnic and more singing. The picnic was planned to take place i Saltwell Park, Gateshead but sadly the weather did not permit an outdoor picnic so we gathered at the Ouseburn Regeneration Centre on Newcastle Quayside and ate and sang indoors. Later on however the rain stopped and everyone moved outdoors for more singing and socialising before travelling home.