STARSAUCER Comes to Warrington as Part of Arts Festival's Final Weekend

A UFO experience and alien invasion will be hovering in to close Warrington Arts Festival (WAF) in style this Saturday. The close encounter for true believers and family audiences of all ages will be landing in Bank Park for a mysterious open air show called StarSaucer at 8.45pm.

Outdoor theatre specialists, The Dream Engine, are keeping the details of this newly developed performance a surprise.

But amid a haze of smoke and the whir of a warp drive, this festival finale promises something as strange as it is spectacular when enigmatic figures begin to emerge and respond to their new environment.

As with many of the festival’s performances, StarSaucer is free to attend due to funding and support the event has received from Arts Council England, Warrington Borough Council and Warrington BID.

Audiences simply need to turn up and enjoy the one-hour spectacle with no booking required.

Leah Biddle, Cultural Director for Culture Warrington, the arts charity that runs the annual festival, said: “After nine days of celebrating our town and its fantastic community, we’re excited to draw Warrington Arts Fest 2025 to a close with this mysterious and otherworldly show-stopper!

“What makes WAF unique is that it brings together acclaimed performers that tour the world with Warrington’s own creatives and I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work of my brilliant team.

“I could only dream it would grow into the festival that it is today, and it’s all down to the hard work and passion of everyone involved.”

The other big headline event for Warrington Arts Festival’s final weekend is WILD by dance-circus company, Motionhouse.

There are two free performances in Queens Gardens on Saturday at 4pm and 7pm.

The dynamic, fast-moving and open-air spectacle involves gravity-defying performance techniques and slick choreography with the aim of creating an ‘urban forest’

WILD is coming to Warrington after previously wowing some 100,000 people all over the UK and beyond.

But, before that, kicking off next weekend’s festivities on Friday night will be Climax, an intimate, frank and hilarious work-in-progress show by Warrington’s own Close to Home Productions.

Inspired by true stories from northern women, the female-led theatre company will be merging the two worlds of gig-theatre and sex education at Winmarleigh House in Winmarleigh Street at 7.30pm.

The audience will also be invited to meet the cast and creatives behind the production after the show to share their feedback.

Other highlights include The Sustainable Travel Agency which will be offering a much needed – albeit virtual – getaway from the troubles of the modern world.

Between the cost of living crisis, global politics and the environmental doom and gloom, we could all do with a holiday.

So pop to Warrington Market on Friday or Saturday and leave the suitcase behind for an audio performance featuring a range of mini holidays and mocktails! 

The virtual mini breaks depart on Friday and Saturday between 12pm to 4.30pm in 20-minute slots. It’s free but pre-booking is preferred.

Finally, there will be a host of live music on Saturday. Brazen Brass Band will be popping up at Time Square at 5pm and in Queens Gardens at 7.45pm.

Consisting of performers from all over the world, Brazen are made up of some of the UK’s finest female brass and percussion players whose aim is to inspire girls everywhere to pick up an instrument and play.

Also coming to Time Square are Batida Rio, who were a popular part of the Family Garden Party line-up last year.

The Warrington-based samba drumming and carnival group’s fusion of Afro-Brazilian samba reggae styles with Latin, funk, rock and dance always has everyone up on their feet.

For this performance at 5.45pm, they’ll also be joined by members of the community carrying giant batik flags that they’ve been creating in the weeks leading up to the festival through Batida Rio’s ‘Silk Stories’ project.

Welcoming 58,018 visitors last year to see the work of 216 artists and creatives, Warrington Arts Festival was relaunched in 2024.