Weekend of music and magic in Morecambe

Murals, markets and music, a wacky professor and a travelling troubador were on hand – and there was even all kinds of weather thrown into the bargain too.

But despite rain on Saturday, the sun came out on Sunday for the second day as West End streets and venues came alive to celebrate the community with arts and activities.

Highlights included a live music stage in Alexandra Park, songs and stories from troubador and showman Gordon ‘Gacko’ Bridgens, poetry popping up in shop windows, More Music’s Fun Palace open day and an evening gig at the Hothouse by Be Charlotte, mind bending magic with Professor Pumpernickel, a market inside the old Trinity Methodist Church, a free soup picnic, mural painting and a community sculpture of a phoenix.

Roger Mace, mayor of Lancaster, and his wife the mayoress Joyce Mace also got involved as they took part in screen printing at the Exchange Creative Community base on West Street.

Musician Pete Moser joined forces with his former More Music colleague Geoff Dixon and storyteller Sarah Fiske for a song-based walking tour around the West End, singing songs in the places where they were written.

This reprised a similar project they worked on 22 years ago and included the famous ‘Big Bay View’ song Pete and Geoff wrote in 1993.

There was also an art trail taking in 20 local shops where 20 local artists created artworks especially for the trail.

The event was co-organised by More Music, Morecambe Artist Colony, the Melting Pot, the Exchange Creative Community and the West End Million.