Stoke-on-Trent will be celebrating its European City of Sport status and the potteries’ cultural and sporting history, on 30th January, in an event at Northwood Stadium, starting at 7:00pm. The city council on securing the title from Aces Europe last year, has been planning a launch event since.
The event titled ‘On Your Marks’, will have the opening ceremony feature a flash mob dance routine, hundreds of performers and appearance of local sporting heroes. It will also feature a ‘people’s parade’, sporting showcases, school groups, local clubs and a fireworks finale.
Jen Haynes, artistic director, said it’s not only a proud celebration of the prodigious sporting achievements, but also of their cultural and artistic legacy that’s being given to the world. Stoke-on-Trent shares this title with 19 European Cities of Sport. The City of Sport programme has been allocated £3.5 million, to have from mass participation events to smaller activities. A batch of 1,000 free tickets are being offered by the city council, which is available through the council’s website-stoke.gov.uk/onyourmarks. For more details also call 01782-235104, or send email to rachel.rhodes @stoke.gov.uk.
