50th anniversary of the Moon landings: Festival of the Moon will be one giant leap for Wakefield

No one had seen anything quite like it before and no one has since.

Space travel had captured the imagination of the world as the great powers fought to be first to reach new frontiers beyond our skies.

Stanley Kubrick had released 2001: A Space Odyssey the previous year and the sense of possibility of the 1960s was on display for all see as the first pictures of the Apollo 11 landing were broadcast.

Even when Neil Armstrong fluffed his lines – saying “one small step for man” rather than “one small step for a man” – nothing could take away from the occasion – the universe had just become a lot bigger and it was in our hands.

Now, it’s one giant leap for Wakefield as the city gets ready to welcome the Moon to the old Market Hall.

Fifty years on from Neil Armstrong taking those immortal steps Wakefield will host a celebration of music, art and science at its first Festival of the Moon.

A giant, seven metre-wide, illuminated scale replica of the Moon will land at the Market Hall on Union Street, Britain’s first astronaut will tell her story, and various spacey musicians will take to the stage.

The fortnight of mostly free events will kick off on Friday, August 23.

Other highlights will include a moon party, with Leeds-based electro-funk three-piece Galaxians playing live alongside fellow dance act Night Giants.

On the opening night and throughout the festival the wide walls of the former Market Hall will be used to project footage of historic space missions and other rocket-propelled films and programmes.

Local artists, community groups and residents will get in on the act with special gatherings including a Moon Picnic, Moonlit Yoga, Star Wars Sunday and a Gaming Day.

The Clangers originally hit Britain’s TV screens in 1969, returning to CBeebies after a four-decade gap in 2015 and will be the special guests at the Moon Picnic.

Coun Jacquie Speight, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sports at Wakefield Council said: “Wakefield Council is proud to not only be welcoming leading names in science, music and art to celebrate one of mankind’s greatest achievements with us, but also to be marking that momentous event with creative talent from our own city.

“The Festival of the Moon will be two-weeks of summertime fun and inspiration for residents and visitors of all ages, spanning theatre, storytelling and hands-on activities.

“The festival will also welcome families back into the former Market Hall building to inspire its future as a planned hub for culture and creativity in Wakefield.” T

he Festival of the Moon is supported by the Cultural Development Fund. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport funds the Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England.

The event marks the grand return of one of the more prominent buildings in Wakefield city centre, which has been vacant for more than six months.

The last trader moved out of the Market Hall at the end of last year and plans were in place to convert the building into a cinema. But the proposals received a lukewarm response when many residents wondered if another cinema was necessary, readers told us in our city centre survey.

Hundreds of people responded and told us the key issues that matter in Wakefield.

In February, the council announced plans to use some of a £4.4 million cash pot to change the hall into an arts hub.

Who will be performing and when?

Helen SharmanOne of the few humans to have seen earth from space, Helen Sharman, Britain first astronaut, will recount the story of her time on the Mir Space Station in 1991. She was just 27 years old, spending eight days orbiting the planet.She will speak on Friday, August 30 in the evening and during the day Saturday, August 31.

Galaxians and Night GiantsSurely there’s so better way to celabrate a moon party than with a blast of West Yorkshire electro-funk.Galaxians will hit the stage alongside Night Giants while while virtual reality, video games and beer pong entertain the crowds in the Market Hall.The gig will take place Saturday, August 31.