Skip to content

Coventry's Assembly Festival Garden returns for City of Culture finale

Dylan Parrin An outdoor garden seating areaDylan Parrin
The garden will transform into a music festival on select days

The Assembly Festival Garden is returning to Coventry as part of the City of Culture finale after more than 2,000 people called for it to return.

The garden will feature five social and performance spaces with a range of entertainment from musicals to bands.

The site will re-open on 14 April and stay until September.

William Burdett-Coutts, the artistic director of the festival, said "I'm delighted we're coming back to do it again."

Chenine Bhathena, creative director of Coventry's UK City of Culture, added: "It's a festival site that has already created so many great memories, we look forward to creating many more."

Assembly Festival Garden The Choir of Man performingAssembly Festival Garden
The West End show 'The Choir of Man' will be performing at the venue

Shows such as the West End's The Choir of Man will return to the gardens. Producer Nic Doodson, said the event was "the absolute highlight of our year last year".

Actor Rachel Graham, who will star in family show Shark in the Park, said, "It's so great to get to come on tour." She will play multiple characters in the performance, which is based on three books by children's author Nick Sharratt.

Dylan Parrin The outside of the Piccolo tentDylan Parrin
The Piccolo tent is a theatre space for comedy and children's shows.

Over 2,000 people signed a petition to keep the gardens open, which were only supposed to be temporary.

Mr Burdett-Coutts, the artistic director of the gardens, said he was "touched" by the comments on the petition.

"The gardens were a basic human right," one comment said.

Tickets for the first shows announced are currently on sale.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]