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Worcester’s Big Parade – Farewell Event
Thursday 30th September – Sunday 3rd October 2021
Thursday 7th October – Sunday 10th October 2021
At the end of the eight-week art trail, the Worcestershire County Cricket Club will host a Farewell Event, where all elephants – large and small – will be seen together for the first and last time. Slots will be held every Thursday-Sunday from 30th September – 10th October 2021.
Thu-Sat – 1 hour slots available between 10am and 6pm (last admission 5pm)
Sun – 1 hour slots available between 12pm and 4pm (last admission 3pm)
Costs
Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for 2-16 year olds, under 2’s go free
Family Ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) £15
How your fundraising helps
Worcester’s Big Parade builds on the hugely successful Worcester Stands Tall giraffe trail in 2018, which saw giraffe sculptures displayed across the city before raising £210,000 for St Richard’s at auction. We hope to raise a similar amount this time, whilst also brining a huge amount of joy to the city this summer!
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Farewell Event FAQs
- What happens to the elephants after the trail?
- When is the Farewell Event?
- How do I get tickets for the Farewell Event?
- What time do I need to arrive for my slot?
- Is this event suitable for wheelchair and pushchair users?
- Is this event inside or outdoors?
- Can I buy merchandise at the event?
- Will refreshments be available?
- Are dogs allowed?
- Is there parking available?
- What facilities are available at the event?
- How is the money from the ticket sales used?
- Can I buy an elephant?
- What happens to the elephants after the trail?
- After the Farewell Event, the large sculptures will be sold at auction to raise funds for St Richard’s Hospice.
- Each ele-baby will return to the schools and organisations which decorated them, as a lasting memento of the trail.
- When is the Farewell Event?
- How do I get tickets for the Farewell Event?
- What time do I need to arrive for my slot?
- Is this event suitable for wheelchair and pushchair users?
- Is this event inside or outdoors?
- Can I buy merchandise at the event?
- Will refreshments be available?
- Are dogs allowed?
- Is there parking available?
- What facilities are available at the event?
- How is the money from the ticket sales used?
- Can I buy an elephant?
When the sculptures leave the city streets on 5th September, they go into temporary accommodation where they are titivated before their next adventures.
They will then move to Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester, for our Farewell Event. This will be your only chance to see all our elephants in one place – before they go to their forever homes.
Once the trail has ended, there will be a final chance to see all 66 sculptures together at farewell events at Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Thursday 30 September – Sunday 3 October, and again from Thursday 7 October – Sunday 10 Oct 2021.
Tickets are available to buy online by clicking the ‘Buy Now’ link.
Keep your e-ticket safe, as you will be required to show this to gain entry to the event. All attendees will require a ticket, to ensure maximum event capacity is not exceeded.
Please arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to your allocated time slot. Late arrivals will be accepted, however access can only be granted during the allocated time slot.
Time slots are one hour long and will have been selected at the time of booking – check tickets for details. Visitors will be asked to leave once the time slot has finished to enable the next wave to enter.
The Farewell Event is being hosted at Worcestershire County Cricket Club, New Road, Worcester, WR2 4QQ. Access is gained via the marquee at the rear entrance to the club. Just follow the signs to the event entrance. The event is on one level and suitable for wheelchair, mobility aids and pushchair users. The large sculptures are displayed on the cricket pitch grass, therefore during wet weather, consideration may need to be given for grass surfaces.
Whilst you enter the event via the marquee, and the Ele-Babies will be displayed within the marquee, this is an outdoor event, therefore during wet weather, appropriate wet weather footwear is recommended. Disposable ponchos are available to purchase from the welcome desk for £2 each.
Worcester’s Big Parade merchandise will be available to purchase at the event, including t-shirts, tea towels, posters, postcards, bags, pens, pencils etc (subject to availability).
There will also be a ‘Farewell Event’ collectors booklet available to purchase for £5.
Snacks and drinks will be available to purchase from Worcestershire County Cricket Club from within the event. Visitors are welcome to bring a blanket and enjoy the beautiful setting of the cricket club ground for a bite to eat.
Dogs are not permitted within the Farewell Event, except for guide dogs.
Worcestershire CCC’s Severn Bridge car park, postcode WR2 4RL, is situated at the front of the Premier Inn, next to the club and is the ideal place to park if you are attending the Farewell Event. It costs £5 for an initial three hour stay and only an extra £2.50 for a 12 hour stop. To find out more, visit: www.wccc.co.uk/visitor-info/parking-disabled-access/
Additional parking is available at:
Tybridge Street Car Park, Tybridge Street, Worcester, WR2 5BA is located across the park opposite the cricket club, costing £1.20 for up to 2 hours. www.worcester.gov.uk/parking/parking-sites/tybridge-street-car-park
Crowngate Shopping Centre, Worcester, WR1 3LX is located just across the city bridge, costing £2.20 for up to 2 hours.
Further information of other city centre car parks can be found here: www.worcester.gov.uk/parking/parking-sites
Male, female and disabled toilets, plus baby changing facilities are available within the event grounds.
Proceeds from the farewell event will support St Richard’s Hospice, who care for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment and to their last days. The hospice team also supports a patient’s loved ones.
Every day, the hospice team has more than 1,200 people under its care – at the hospice, in people’s own homes or in the community.
As an independent charity – with just 20% of its income funded by the NHS – St Richard’s is grateful for the support of, and donations from, the community to enable it to continue its services.
Yes, the giant elephants will be sold at the charity auction in October – plus one very special ele-baby ‘Spark-ele’! The other ele-babies will not be available to buy. They will be returned to either their communities or each of the schools as a memento following the summer’s event. However there is a chance to WIN an Ele-Baby in our Raffle. Visit www.strichards.org.uk/event/wbp-raffle/ to find out more and buy your tickets.
The bidding process and all details about the auction will be available nearer the time. We are asking those who would like to attend the event, to register their interest via our website www.worcestersbigparade.co.uk/auction.
Previously our giraffe sculptures sold for between £5,000-£15,000 each, and we would hope to achieve the same for our wonderful elephants! Further information regarding the Auction can be found here: www.worcestersbigparade.co.uk/auction.