Derbyshire Dales council to host Welcome Back Weekend in Matlock with outdoor cinema and music festival

On Friday and Saturday, August 20-21, Hall Leys Park will host an outdoor cinema, live music festival and an artisan market.

Free tickets for those events with limited capacity will be released on Friday, August 2, supported by the Government’s Welcome Back Fund, awarded to councils to help reenergise local economies.

Council leader Garry Purdy said: "It's our job to administer the Welcome Back Fund and we've enabled several local town and parish councils to welcome back visitors and shoppers to their communities in whatever way works best for them.

“However, the Welcome Back Weekend is one our own teams are leading on and we truly hope it signals that Matlock and indeed the whole of the Derbyshire Dales is back in business.”

The council has partnered with Wirksworth’s Northern Light Cinema to present the Friday night screening of Mamma Mia for an audience of up to 500 people. Gates open at 6pm and there will be music, food and drink available before the film.

On the Saturday, look out for an artisan market in the park, with family-friendly workshops from noon until 5pm. No tickets are required for this.

Following at 5pm is local bands will take the stage for a ticketed night of music, accompanied food and drink stalls.

The idea for the event came from St Giles ward representative Paul Cruise, also a member of the town council which is supporting the event alongside Matlock company Hecate Arts.

Derbyshire Dales received £63,808 from the Welcome Back Fund to support a range of planned initiatives.

The fund totalled £56million nationwide drawn the money from the European Regional Development Fund, and was made available to boost the look and feel of high streets. It builds on the Reopening High Street Safely Fund allocated to councils last year.

Tickets for the weekend will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis via www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/welcomebackweekend.

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