Full line up for rescheduled free sixties event taking place in Northampton this weekend

A highly anticipated free sixties event will finally take place in Northampton this weekend.

The event was due to take place on September 10 but was postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The organisers were able to re-book the majority of the acts originally scheduled to perform.

Taking place on Saturday (September 24) in the Market Square as well as other venues around the town centre, there will be music, exhibitions, street circus acts and a vinyl fair taking place at The Black Prince.

The headline performance from The Counterfeit Beatles is one of the most highly anticipated parts of the day, which will take place from 6.30pm until 8pm on the Market Square.

The event has been organised by Northampton Business Improvement District (BID), with many businesses supporting by doing a sixties-inspired window display or activity.

Full itinerary

Main Stage

(Located in the Market Square)

-Ukulele band from 11am

-Brighton Riot, 12pm – 12.45pm

-The Denotones, 2pm - 2.45pm

-Bernie Keith DJ Set, 4pm – 5pm

-Counterfeit Beatles, 6.30pm – 8pm

Pop Up Stage

(Located by the water fountain in the Market Square)

-Millie Gough, 1 pm – 1.45 pm

-Ollie Hayes, 3 pm – 3.45 pm

-Dan Hughes, 5.30 pm – 6.15 pm

Vintage Circus Roaming Acts

Throughout periods between 11 am – 4 pm, roaming acts will leave Market Square, go along Abington Street and then turning right at Fish Street, down St Giles Street, along Wood Hill before returning to the Market Square).Acts include, Stilt Walking Clowns, Hula Hoop Show, Flower Fairies, Bubble Artist, and Acrobats

Circus Workshop

(Located next to the Main Stage)

A Circus Workshop will take place between 11am to 4pm (break at 1.15pm - 1.45pm).

BBC Radio Northampton presenter Bernie Keith, who will be hosting on Saturday, said: “This event is fantastic because often people of a certain age feel they can’t come into the town centre – because they believe it isn’t what it used to be.

“They’ll hear the music they grew up with and it’ll take them back to their childhood.”

Bernie is most looking forward to the performance from The Counterfeit Beatles, and adding to his collection of 20,000 records when he visits the vinyl fair at Element.

“I’ve told them I’m going to clean them out of stock,” he said.

Bernie hopes the event will encourage residents to support local businesses, particularly down St Giles’ Street and George Row – which he says is home to “some of the greatest shops in the county”.

Mark Mullen, operations manager at Northampton BID, was the mastermind behind the event and saw it as a “great opportunity to do something for a different audience, where as many people could get involved as possible”.

He said: “We wanted to give the Market Square the send off it deserves prior to all the regeneration works.

“Even ahead of Saturday the event is already a celebration in its own right because we’ve got over 60 partners, businesses and authorities involved.”

Mark believes when people think of Northampton town centre, there is an “element of perception that outweighs reality”.