Search

Imagine Watford 2019

Imagine Watford Festival was back again for its 9th year in 2019, bringing fun and entertainment to Watford’s streets. It took place between 28th & 30th June and it brought local and international performers from around the world to perform on our streets. The festival is one of my favourite events in Watford and I have been to all 9 of them. The festival is free and is organised by Watford Palace Theatre with sponsors Watford BID, West Herts College, Veolia, Warner Bros Studios Leavesden, Helen and Frank Neale, Watford Cultural Leaders Group, Watford Borough Council and the Arts Council England.

As with every year its impossible to see everything as there are 24 performances spread over the 3 days. Below I have listed the ones that I went to together with some of the photographs that I took with lots more photographs on my Flickr website (link below).

Performances

Invasion

The first performance of the Imagine festival which took place on Friday at 9.30pm and as always was a spectacular show where the mythical world comes alive. Invasion moves through the town filling it with light, movement and sound as the creatures spread out among the people, will you run or follow?

Imagine Festival 2019
Invasion by Closeact | @closeact

Swing Patrol & No Limit Street Band

Dance party on the high street with Swing patrol and music by the No Limit Street party. Bringing swing dancing where you can join in with the dance steps to the Charleston.

Imagine Festival 2019
Swing Patrol & No Limit Street Band | @swingpatrol

The Lips by Puppets with guts

A chorus of delightfully deviant divas whose mouths have embarked on a rocky road to stardom. Are you ready to sing with these luscious, sumptuous and undeniably vivacious big puppet lips?

Imagine Festival 2019
The Lips by Puppets with guts | @puppetswithguts

Roll up, roll up by Simple Cypher

Kieran Warner & Christopher Thomas share a passion for hip hop. Cyr wheel and juggling meets musicality, originality and play.

Imagine Festival 2019
Roll up, roll up by Simple Cypher | @simplecypher

Lance Moi En L’air by Joli Vyann

An amazing performance of acrobatics between two people bringing sensitivity and connection. Can we be strong whilst relaxed? Heavy whilst light? In a mixture of abandonment and accountability, this piece is sensitive, where bodies just fit together.

Imagine Festival 2019
Lance Moi En L’air by Joli Vyann | @jolivyann

Lifted by Mimbre Acrobats

Lifted is a collection of funny, poetic and surprising moments, which explore in different ways what it means when one body is carried by another.

Imagine Festival 2019
Lifted by Mimbre Acrobats | @mimbreacrobats

Seed by Pif-Paf

Join Wilford planting trees where he shouldn’t, living in his shed and on the run from his past and his arch enemies, SLIGS, out to get him for his contraband seeds. It was a fun performance especially for the kids who gathered around mesmerised by Wilford.

Imagine Festival 2019
Seed by Pif-Paf | @pifpaftheatre

Full Circle by Avanti Display

Are they council workers or is it a piece of performance art? A slow and intriguing performance builds gently through to suspense, hilarity and unforeseeable consequences. Just how many buckets do they need? Fun performance by Avanti Display, it certainly got people laughing and participating.

Imagine Festival 2019
Full Circle by Avanti Display | @billavanti

Phileas Fogg by Dizzy O’Dare

Join Phileas Fogg and his valet as they attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days. Can they coerce their hot air balloons to go in the right direction to win the grand prize?

Imagine Festival 2019
Phileas Fogg by Dizzy O’Dare | @dizzyodare

The Hair Rollers by Kitsch & Sync

50s style hairdressers have their own salon at the Intu Atrium, so make your appointment with these three vivacious ladies, a blonde, a brunette and a redhead. They are ready to snip, snap and slick you into a new style including having a good gossip as well. But watch out these ladies are armed with scissors and rollers! Do you want your new style now!

The Hair Rollers by Kitsch & Sync
The Hair Rollers by Kitsch & Sync | @kitschnsync1

Imagination Station by Watford Palace Theatre & Sophie Carpenter

Welcome to the Imagination Station, a giant cube covered in the doodles of Sophie Carpenter. This was a place to bring your own creativity by colouring in the doodles. A great way to soak in the atmosphere at the canvas of festival fun.

Imagination Station by Watford Palace Theatre & Sophie Carpenter
Imagination Station by Watford Palace Theatre & Sophie Carpenter

H.O.H by Far from the Norm

Combining hip hop and dance, very energetic and lots of humour from a football pitch. I only managed to catch 5 min of the performance as there were lots of people in the crowds taking in their high energy, giving a snapshot of 21st-century life.

H.O.H by Far from the Norm
H.O.H by Far from the Norm | @farfromthenorm

Wild by Motion House

A forest of poles was part of the performance bringing daring feats moving from pole to pole. A new dance circus production exploring the disconnect with the natural environment from our urban lives, Is the wild still shaping our behaviour?

Wild by Motion House
Wild by Motion House | @motionhouse

Photographs

Below are a few more photographs from the various performances across the weekend, if you want to see more click on the Flickr link below.

Imagine Festival 2019
A festival of extraordinary open air moments
Imagine Festival 2019
Lifted by Mimbre Acrobats | @mimbreacrobats
Imagine Festival 2019
Lifted by Mimbre Acrobats | @mimbreacrobats
Imagine Festival 2019
Lifted by Mimbre Acrobats | @mimbreacrobats
Imagine Festival 2019
Seed by Pif-Paf | @pifpaftheatre
Imagine Festival 2019
Seed by Pif-Paf | @pifpaftheatre
Imagine Festival 2019
Seed by Pif-Paf | @pifpaftheatre
Imagine Festival 2019
Lance Moi En L’air by Joli Vyann | @jolivyann
Imagine Festival 2019
Lance Moi En L’air by Joli Vyann | @jolivyann
Imagine Festival 2019
Roll up, roll up by Simple Cypher | @simplecypher
Imagine Festival 2019
The Lips by Puppets with guts | @puppetswithguts
Swing Patrol & No Limit Street Band | @swingpatrol
Invasion by Closeact | @closeact
Imagine Festival 2019
Invasion by Closeact | @closeact

Thanks for reading, leave a comment below if you went and enjoyed the free performing arts across the town centre in 2019. One of my highlights of the year bringing the arts to the masses.

Update: As there is no Imagine Watford 2020, I have added more photos that I didn’t publish before. Hopefully back in 2021!

Links

Imagine Watford – http://www.imaginewatford.co.uk/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/alalchan
Flickr Photos – https://www.flickr.com/photos/alalchan/albums/72157709587078946
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/alalchan

Recommended

July Events 2024

Welcome to your July edition of my newsletter! June has been a very busy month, with over 26,000 photos shot at over 30 events. Even though the weather hadn’t been great at the beginning of the month, summer started at the end.

Northern Lights over Watford

June Events 2024

This year is flying fast, and June has so many events around London. One of my highlights would be the Graduate Fashion Show and the Japanese Emperor state visit near the end of the month. Plus, there is a shoot with two ballerinas in Shoreditch and a lavender shoot with a couple of models.

Tulip fields with Julia

May Events 2024

As one of the most colourful times of the year unfolds, we’re greeted by the delightful blooms of wisteria and a palette of early summer beauty. This month promises a return of warmer weather and a host of exciting events tailored for everyone.

Advertising

  • Sale! Digital Downloads

    Digital Download

    Original price was: £15.00.Current price is: £5.50.

    Digital Download

    Original price was: £15.00.Current price is: £5.50.

    Digital download of one of my photographs.

    Quick View
  • Cassiobury Park Fireworks

    Cassiobury Park Fireworks 2017

    £14.99£95.99

    Cassiobury Park Fireworks 2017

    £14.99£95.99

    The stunning display of fireworks this year would make an ideal gift from Watford.

    This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    Quick View
  • Lord Mayor Show Fireworks

    Lord Mayors Fireworks Show

    £14.99£95.99

    Lord Mayors Fireworks Show

    £14.99£95.99

    Looking towards St Paul’s Cathedral along the Thames when the Lord Mayors Show Fireworks took place.

    This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    Quick View
  • London Eye with love

    London Eye with love

    £14.99£95.99

    London Eye with love

    £14.99£95.99

    An iconic feature of the London skyline it especially looks good when the colour changes as it does during valentines week.

    This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    Quick View
  • Rose drop

    Rose drop

    £14.99£95.99

    Rose drop

    £14.99£95.99

    Rain drops on roses

    This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    Quick View
  • Crocuses

    Crocuses circle the Bandstand

    £14.99£95.99

    Crocuses circle the Bandstand

    £14.99£95.99

    The band stand back in its original location in Cassiobury park in 2016, the spring crocuses looked beautiful against the back drop.

    This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    Quick View