This Valentine’s weekend, Rotherham is celebrating the thing it loves most: the creativity and musical skill of its own people.
Rotherham Loves Music, a free winter festival, will take over the town centre on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February with illuminated installations and hands-on activities that highlight the borough’s diverse artistic voices.
At the heart of the festival is an ambitious illuminated installation at Rotherham Minster where indoor and outdoor projections will temporarily turn the historic building into a musical instrument in its own right.
A building that has held music within its stone embrace for centuries, the church will be turned into a living, breathing canvas that glows, pulses, and resonates with every note and melody.
Brothers Matt and Rob Vale from Illuminos have created a rolling projection that will ripple across the façade and fill the interior with shifting colour.
A specially curated soundtrack featuring Rotherham musicians will bring the installation to life.
The soundtrack showcases the breadth of local musical talent, with performances ranging from teenage harpist Alejandro Barnett and members of the borough’s youth music service to Thorpe Hesley Brass Band and many more.
Organisers, Flux Rotherham, say the mix reflects the festival’s aim: to shine a spotlight on musicians of all ages and backgrounds who contribute to Rotherham’s vibrant cultural scene.
Alongside the Minster experience, festival-goers will be able to enjoy a series of walkabout performances, including the crowd-pleasing DJ Bike which brings mobile music and playful energy to the streets.
Family-friendly craft workshops will also take place in the Imperial Buildings and Grimm & Co., encouraging visitors to make their own light- or music-themed creations.
There will also be a silent disco at Minster Yard where you can boogie along to five different channels with music for everyone to enjoy.
The festival is designed to draw residents and visitors into the town centre during the winter months while celebrating the creativity rooted in the community. It follows last year’s Otherham event which saw over 7,000 people visit the town centre over three days.
“This festival is about showcasing the incredible talent we have here and giving people a reason to come together in the heart of the town,” said Helen Jones, director of Flux. “Rotherham loves music and on Valentine’s weekend we’ll see that love shine through.”
Rotherham Loves Music is a free event taking place on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February 6pm-9pm. Projections start at 6.30pm and run continuously throughout the evening.
The event is delivered by Flux Rotherham, in partnership with Illuminos, Rotherham Council, Children’s Capital of Culture, Rotherham Music, Rotherham Minster and Grimm & Co, and is funded by Arts Council England.
To find out more about what’s happening over the weekend, click here.
