General Info
Thank Crew Party. 16th August 2002. The Plush team were proud to be able to play a part in thanking all the Commonwealth Games Volunteers for all their hard work up to and during the Commonwealth Games hosted in Manchester. Our brief was to provide an event that would entertain the many different types of people that were involved in the games, and also to provide hot food and drinks. Sixteen thousand volunteers and their guests attended the event.
We used part of Platt Fields Park, which had different zones of activities and shows. Performing on the main stage were a vast spectrum of artists. Beverly Knight was fabulous as our headline act. Support bands throughout the day ranged from popular music tributes such as Bee Gees Gold and Wham/Duran to authentic modern Asian band Kuljit Bhangra Band. Also getting everyone up and dancing in the summer sunshine were Josephine and Soca Survivors.
More traditional tastes were catered for in the ‘Tea Tent’ Marquee with Brass Belles female Brass Band and many classical acts and string quartets. A touch of Anarchy was provided by the invasion of the Tent by the Queen of Hearts and her over exciteded Alice in Wonderland gang. The Mad Hatter, Dormouse, Knaves, Queen, and Alice delighted tea drinkers with their high-energy acrobatics, dance and mayhem.
As a contrast, at the other end of the park, we had the Groovy Disco Marquee hosted by the Elvistastic Carl Lucas.
Also on site causing much hilarity the fantastic Martinez and Fabrega show with remote control bulls and mucho macho bravery. And high flyers Crazy Tramps could be seen bouncing way up in the air in their comedy trampoline shows
Other activities on site that were a great hit with guests were the funfair rides, circus workshops, face painting, henna tattoos, games like giant human football, sumo wrestling, and comedy inflatable boxing.
Our fabulous strolling entertainers provided a constant stream of banter with unsuspecting guests. 10ft Elvis’s, Inflatable Carmen Miranda and her Singing Dancing Palm Trees, Lady Butterfly and Gentleman Beetle, Chinese Dragon, Zeena style Warrior Princesses, Gossipy Coronation Street Ladies, Stilt Carnival Girls, Punky Stilt Boys mixed and mingled and delighted.
The Party finaled with an amazing firework display and fire sculpture. The event was a total success, partly due to the amazing weather but also thanks to the energetic and up-for-it friendliness of all the Commonwealth Volunteer guests. Thank You Crew!
