A fantastic warm and dry weekend (2-4 October) enabled all the components of Night of Festivals SPECIAL EDITION to be delivered to large and enthusiastic audiences.

A photo gallery and video now available on ArtReach and Night of Festivals web sites, a particular highlight being the extraordinary Night-Time Lit Carnival procession that led spectators from New Walk to the Victoria Park Fan Zone, prior to the screening of the England v Australia rugby match.

In the city centre large audiences enjoyed the extraordinary vocals and music of Erna Chimu (Namibia), Najma Akhtar, Haymanot Tesfa and Muha (amongst others), as well as the energetic and sexy performance by the London Tango Orchestra with exquisite guest Argentinian dancers Leonardo Suarez Paz and Olga Suarez Paz.

Carnival and samba interventions along the High Street, around the Clock Tower and up to Jubilee Square provided continuous enlivening of the city centre with performances by Kinetika Bloco, Paraiso Samba, Stelzen Arts, Leicester Caribbean Carnival, Oakleaf Creativity and Mandinga Arts.

An amazing Freedom Wall installation at the Fan Zone enabled 600 participants to take part in creating a public response to thoughts about freedom and democracy, an installation that will continue on 10 and 11 October prior to being installed at the new Soft Touch base on New Walk.

At the City Stadium specially commissioned Tongan and Argentinian carnival troupes performed on the concourse to the crowds arriving for the match.

The weekend concluded with a vibrant and popular performance by Beats of Polynesia on the main stage – a lively ending despite the Tongan team’s defeat to Argentina!