Norwich Big Weekend

An exciting, new opportunity for Norfolk residents to explore and re-discover wide-ranging attractions and things to do across Norwich and Norfolk is set to launch in April 2020. Taking place from Saturday 4th to Sunday 5th April, Norwich Big Weekend is all about celebrating Norwich and Norfolk’s tourism offer and showcasing the county’s credentials as a year-round visitor destination.

Encouraging local residents to explore what’s on their doorstep

Norwich Big Weekend will see hundreds of Norfolk residents taking part in free activities in hospitality, performance, experience and attractions. The Norwich Big Weekend campaign will help to build on Norwich’s visiting friends and relatives sector by showcasing the rich tourism offer across both Norwich and Norfolk. The campaign will be delivered by Norwich Business Improvement District (BID), VisitNorwich and Go To Places – the people behind the Kent Big Weekend campaign which has been running now for over 12 years.

How it works

Anyone with a Norfolk postcode can apply for FREE tickets to win experiences through a dedicated ballot system on norwichbigweekend.co.uk. From entry to museums and galleries, to theatres and attractions across Norwich and Norfolk, Norwich Big Weekend is focused on giving residents the opportunity to explore attractions and places that they might not have visited before.

The ballot will open on 20th February and run until 16th March –  Norfolk residents will have the opportunity to apply for as many tickets as they wish. Anyone interested can visit the website (norwichbigweekend.co.uk) now to subscribe to receive the latest news, offers and updates on Norwich Big Weekend.

Stefan Gurney, Executive Director of Norwich BID, said: “Norwich Business Improvement District and VisitNorwich are proud to bring Norwich Big Weekend to Norwich city centre and Norfolk in April 2020, working alongside Go To Places. There is so much to see and do close to home, and we look forward to offering residents free tickets to explore more. We’ll also be curating with a Norwich twist, with one-off events and experiences as we kick off our spring/summer season in the City of Stories. From our rich history and museums to art galleries and modern attractions, Norwich Big Weekend is the perfect way to enjoy and experience everything we have on our doorstep”.

Local businesses can still get involved

VisitNorwich Investment Partners, BID Levy Payers and local businesses are being encouraged to ‘get creative’ not only by offering free tickets but also by creating unique, one-off experiences and ‘money can’t buy’ opportunities especially for Norwich Big Weekend. From bespoke dinner and drinks menus to unique uses of venue spaces. Norwich Big Weekend will inspire residents, instil a sense of pride for their city and encourage repeat visits to local attractions, exhibitions, places to eat and drink and events in the future.

Built on shared experience

Go To Places Deputy Chief Executive Officer, David Curtis-Brignell added: “Our Big Weekend campaign model is going from strength to strength and we are really looking forward to working with the Norwich team and learning more about the variety and quality of tourism businesses and experiences in the city.

It’s a cliché but we often forget about the attractions and activities close to home. Visiting friends and relatives are very important to local visitor economies and we are passionate about helping destinations to target this sector.

We know that a Big Weekend campaign is a very affordable and effective way of marketing a destination and the results speak for themselves. Our data shows that since Go To Places launched their Big Weekend campaign in Kent, spend from visiting friends and relatives has increased by (1) 50%  and during the last five years, the number of local attractions taking part has increased by over 20% with applications for tickets from local residents increasing by nearly (2) 200%.”

 

Notes

For more information contact Melanie Cook PR Manager (VisitNorwich), 01603 559574 /[email protected].

(1) Between 2013 to 2017, spend from Visiting Friends and Relatives increased by 50% from £135.5 million to £203.3 million.

(2) Source: Visit Kent.

About Norwich Big Weekend

Members of the public interested in entering the ballot can visit the website now – norwichbigweekend.co.uk – to subscribe to receive the latest news, offers and updates on Big Weekend.

Free tickets and experiences will take place primarily over the weekend of 4-5 April, however participating businesses can offer free tickets post 4-5 April if they are open seasonally.

Participating businesses already signed up includes: The Cosy Club, Norwich Ghost Walks, Norfolk Mead Hotel & Restaurant, The Forum, Bowling House, Paul Dickson Tours, Run Norwich, National Centre for Writing, Cinema City and the Maddermarket Theatre.

Businesses interested in participation should contact [email protected].

About VisitNorwich

VisitNorwich is the destination marketing organisation for the Norwich area and is the tourism destination marketing function of Norwich Business Improvement District – www.visitnorwich.co.uk and www.cityofstories.co.uk.

VisitNorwich is a membership organisation within Norwich BID and its activities are funded by members, public sector stakeholders, including Norwich City Council and directly by Norwich BID.

VisitNorwich’s sole focus is to promote and develop the destination and support its members through collaborative marketing, research, information and business advice.

Total value of tourism in Norwich is £765,051,590 including 13,358,300 trips (day and staying) – Destination Research: Economic Impact of Tourism report 2018.

In 2019 Norwich Market was named Best Large Outdoor Market in the Country in The Great British Market Awards.

In 2019 Norwich became the UK’s first Sharing City part of the Sharing Cities Alliance.

About Norwich Business Improvement District

Established in November 2012 the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) exists to help Norwich thrive and is run for local businesses by local businesses.  It is a simple and tried and tested way of increasing economic prosperity for companies of all sizes through collaboration.  The BID covers a defined area of Norwich where businesses plan how to improve their trading environment, identifying additional projects and services that develop the city centre and trade. Investment in the BID area aims to enhance and promote the local environment for businesses, employees, customers.

2017 saw Norwich BID’s term renewed by the business community for a further 5 years, with a wider scope and its area of operation expanded to include more areas of the city including Riverside.

The overarching vision is to; make a clear positive impact on the vitality of our city centre and the success of the businesses within it.