Bolsover District Council has announced that they are to host one of the most prestigious events of the Olympic year.

Major event

They are to stage a major cultural event at Bolsover Castle on Friday June 29th to celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay passing through Bolsover District.

Bolsover is a rural local authority and within its boundaries are some of the nation’s cultural and historic treasures such as Hardwick Hall, Creswell Crags and Bolsover Castle.

Olympic Torch

The day will include the Olympic Torch Relay procession through Bolsover and Glapwell as well as other areas of the authority, where the general public will also enjoy a number of brass bands playing as they line the streets during the relay itself, as well as arts demonstrations and performances at and around Bolsover Castle.

There will also be a teatime street procession of local primary school children that will be led by local bands performing along the procession up to the Castle.

Grand finale

The grand finale, organised and initiated by Arts Development Officer Carole Hirst entitled ‘Bolsover Olympicnic Brass Spectacular’, is sure to provide wonderful entertainment too, with the public encouraged to bring along their picnic hampers to enjoy a huge concert set in the atmospheric Inner Court of the Castle.

Promoted through Head of Leisure, Lee Hickin, it is aimed at encouraging as many people as possible to bring picnics, blankets and chairs to enjoy a two hour concert led by 2011 All England Masters Champion, Tredegar Town Band.

We are expecting audiences of 5,000 plus and Bolsover District Council is really excited about the whole event which is leading the way for Derbyshire celebrating it’s culture and heritageBolsover Council

Battle Symphony

The band will perform a wide variety of repertoire, including Beethoven’s ‘Battle Symphony’ arranged by Howard Snell, complete with cannons and musket fire with trumpets performing from the battlements and a battle re-enactment taking place in front of the band.

With demand for tickets for the event expected to exceed expectations, those without tickets can also enjoy the concert from the Castle’s Outer Court free of charge with picnics viewing the event on a huge multi media screen.

Huge audiences

A spokesperson told 4BR: "We are expecting audiences of 5,000 plus and Bolsover District Council is really excited about the whole event which is leading the way for Derbyshire celebrating it’s culture and heritage with the active participation of brass bands great and small, local and national."