Fireworks, fliers and music will launch airshow
Fireworks, flying displays and fantastic Nineties music will launch this year’s Sunderland International Airshow tomorrow.
The Friday evening launch for the weekend event has become increasingly popular, and large crowds are expected to gather on Cliffe Park and along the seafront again to enjoy the music and flying spectacular.
As in previous years there are also tickets available for anyone who would like to enjoy the evening event in style from the hospitality lounge – see www.sunderlandinternationalairshow.co.uk
A full night’s flying programme including the Red Arrows and Typhoon display team will provide a spectacular aerial backdrop to music from the stage and ground base displays, activities and entertainment along the seafront.
Musicians including African performance group the Lions of Zululand will take to the stage from 4pm, before the main event at 6pm with an opening speech from the Mayor of Sunderland, Coun Doris MacKnight.
The programme includes performances from Hetton-based folkrock, roots and colliery brass band Dennis, fresh from sell-out shows across the country, before some of Europe’s finest tribute acts provide a 90s music-themed climax to the show before a fireworks finale at 9.45pm.
The 90-minute City Life programme celebrates the 25th anniversary of Sunderland being granted city status by Royal Assent, with music from the Spice Girls, Steps, Take That, Robbie Williams and Britpop era of Oasis, Pulp and Blur along with some of the ’90s greatest dance hits.
The Mayor Coun MacKnight said: “The Friday night musical launch event is a fantastic way to start the airshow experience, and this year has even more significance as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Sunderland being granted city status by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second.
“Our city and our airshow have developed significantly over the past three decades, and the international headline acts entertaining the crowds with music from the 1990s are a great way to celebrate that.”
All displays and flying times are subject l to change due to weather or operational conditions.
Friday night – flying to take place from 6.10pm, with entertainment on from 4pm. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team The Red Arrows RAF Typhoon Display Team Fireflies Gerald Cooper Xtreme Saturday and Sunday
Saturday flying times are 11am-5pm. Sunday flying times are noon-5pm. RAF Falcons RAF Tutor display team The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team The Red Arrows RAF Typhoon Display Team British Army Tigers Freefall Team Fireflies Gerald Cooper Xtreme The Blades Sally B Bristol Blenheim Mk 1 P51 Mustang Autogyro Bronco Sunday only
Chinook
Here’s some general event information that would find both interesting and useful.
The event is now in its 29th year.
The Fireflies are a first in the event’s flying programme and will be performing their airborne pyrotechnics all weekend, including pyrotechnics on Friday evening.
Souvenir Programmes are priced at £3.50 and are available to purchase on site at the Visitor Information Cabin from Tuesday 18 July. They will be sold throughout the site during the event weekend.
Friday Event runs from 4pm10pm.
Saturday and Sunday events run 10am-6pm.
For more event information visit www.sunderlandinternationalairshow.co.uk
Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/sunderlandinternationalairshow and twitter @ SunAirshow
Exhibitors, catering concessions and fairground rides located through the event site.
Military exhibitions will be open 4pm-10pm on Bede’s Cross on Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Two bars open to the public on Cliffe Park.
Road closures are in place from Bungalow Café to Morrison’s Roundabout, 2pm-10pm on Friday and 9am-7pm Saturday and Sunday. Friday Night Programme:
The Stage programme includes: The Lions of Zululand, a South African dance group. Dennis, a roots folkrock and Colliery Brass Band from Hetton le Hole, Ste Johnson, an acoustic singer songwriter and a performance from Sunderland Empire’s Hairspray. City Life:
Friday night stage will be headlined by City Life. i-Stage Group have brought together some of Europe’s finest tribute bands to takeeverybodybacktothe90s.Including tributes to Take That, The Spice Girls, Oasis and Blur, there will be something for everyone to sing along to. 4pm: Lions of Zululand 4.30pm: Live music 5.15pm: Ste Johnson 5.45pm: Brenda Edwards - Motormouth Maybelle in Sunderland Empire’s Hairspray 6.05pm: Royal Marines Band Collingwood 6.10pm: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight 6.30pm: Dennis 7pm: Red Arrows 7.30pm: City Life 8.35pm:GeraldCooperXtremeAir 8.50pm: Typhoon 9pm: City Life finale 9.35pm: Fireflies 9.50pm: Fireworks Flying Programme Saturday:
11am-noon: RAF Falcons Nonn-1pm: Tigers 1pm-2pm: Pembroke, Great North Air Ambulance Service, Tutor, Fireflies, Provost 2pm-3pm: Xtreme, Bronco, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Sally B. 3pm-4pm: The Blades, Pitts, Gyro, Breitling Wingwalkers 4pm-5pm: Blenheim, Mustang,
RAF Red Arrows Flying Programme Sunday:
Noon-1pm: Falcons, RAF Red Arrows, Tigers 1pm-2pm: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Pembroke, The Blades 2pm-3pm: Great North Air Ambulance Service, Provost, Mustang Sally B, Blenheim 3pm-4pm: Gyro, Fireflies, Chinook, Breitling Wingwalkers, Bronco 4pm-5pm: Pitts, Xtreme Air, Tutor, Typhoons Parking:
Limited seafront parking is also available across the weekend as organisers make travelling to the region’s landmark event as hassle free as possible.
This year visitors can pre-book seafrontparkingatSeaburnShowground and receive a discounted rate of £15 per car, per day.
Parkingis£20whenpurchased on-site over the event weekend.
For further information and booking details please visit www. sunderlandinternationalairshow. co.uk Park and Ride:
Go Northeast will be running park-and-ride buses from Fulwell Quarry (near Millers Inn, SR5 1JT)
Downhill Sports Complex Kingsway North, SR5 4BB, Civic Centre and Stadium of Light on both days cost £2 per person return (underfives free).
The car parks will be signposted from major routes to Sunderland and supervised throughout the day. The buses will operate at 10 minute intervals between the hours of 9am until 7pm when the car parks close.
The car parks are well sign posted from major routes into Sunderland and supervised throughout the day. Coach Parking:
Coach Parking available at Harbour View, Post Code SR6. No booking necessary. Follow signage from all main routes. Motorcycles:
Area designated behind Seaburn Centre – signage from all major routes into the event site. Disabled Provision:
Disabled parking is available on site – rear of Morrison’s – please follow signage from all main routes. Toilet provision available throughout the site. Getting there:
Anyone travelling to the airshow on public transport can obtain further details by logging on to the NEXUS website or by calling Traveline on 08712 002233.
Extra Metro trains will be running on both days between Sunderland and Newcastle City Centres and Seaburn station. The seafront is only a ten minute walk from Seaburn station. Extra staff will be on duty to provide passengers with assistance.
Bus operators Stagecoach and Go North East will be operating special airshow services. Further information on these can be found on their respective websites.