Pay what you can for 'huge circus', festival says

Night-time performances will return to Hull's Freedom Festival this year, with prices kept as cheap as possible, according to the director.

Phil Hargreaves said evening events would be included on 4 and 5 September after feedback from last year showed people had missed them.

While 90% of the festival would be free for all, Hargreaves said, a suggested fee of £1 per person would be charged for a "huge circus performance" on the Friday and Saturday nights, though people could pay what they can afford.

He added: "If you can only afford £1 for a family of five, we accept that's the case and we understand the world and climate that we're living in."

The performances by Gorilla Circus, called A.I. Thentic, will be set on a 65ft-high (20m) moving stage.

"We can keep that as low-cost as possible, but in order to keep continuing to do those big things, the rising of costs for festivals like ours, it's just impossible to keep free," Hargreaves said.

"We're really desperately trying to respond to what people are asking of us in the most affordable and accessible way possible."

The Freedom Festival is returning for its 19th year, with more than 100 performances and experiences around Hull city centre from 3 to 6 September.

Free family events on the Saturday and Sunday (5 and 6 September) will include dancing pink rhinos and a gigantic dog in the Fruit Market.

Quingo Starlequinn will feature a giant drumming puppet with a built-in DJ booth leading a "feel-good" dance party through the streets, while Babel, by French group Arrangement Provisoire, will see a 40ft (12m) high tower built in Trinity Square.

Hargreaves said: "It's a fantastic chance for people to come together, celebrate freedoms, celebrate being together, celebrating what makes us the people of Hull and bringing people from the outside into that party and having a great time."

Indoor, ticketed events will also be staged over the four days, including Gravity and Other Myths – an Australian troupe of circus acrobats – at Hull Truck Theatre and a "secret rave" in a city centre location which is, for now, being kept under wraps.

The festival was founded in 2007 as part of commemorations to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. Hull MP William Wilberforce was a leading member of the campaign to abolish slavery.

This year, the theme is peace and Hargreaves said he hoped people would experience "a wonderful moment of peace and tranquillity in this current world".

Hargreaves is in his second year as director.

"The people of Hull have been wonderfully charming and helpful to me," he said.

"It's a great festival and it's so loved in the cultural world across the country and by the people in the city.

"We're continuing to improve the festival so it's better for everybody to come and experience freedom in all its glory."

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