15 years of love on the street
This year will be the 15th Union Street Party. Who knew when we first rocked up on an empty street with scissors, tape and a few bits of string what was starting!!
Here we share just some of the many special moments… turning points, tears, and joyful stories of this unexpected journey. We have endless stories of this adventure so this is very edited highlights with lots more to share on the street at the party!
Every street party is a huge collective effort and expression of love from an amazing community that is too often judged and misunderstood. Volunteers who turn up year after year, stall holders who bring so much energy and positivity and I couldn’t help mix in a few personal moments — my son was three weeks old at the first one and is now turning 14. The joy of being in a community is that we experience the highs and lows of life together over the years and the value of that is just priceless.
2010 — The first one!
Technically not the first because really we started as Stonehouse Action on Neswick Street the year before and realised that being out on the street was where the magic happens…but after a comment from the police ‘next year Union Street’ the challenge was set. As volunteers we crunched through the paperwork for a road closure, risk assessments, insurance and made decorations at home and at the local Oasis Centre.
The moment you walk onto the the street at 7am and see no traffic and the closed signs up— it still makes my tummy flip in a happy and nervous way — always followed by a little dance down a quiet street that normally sees 13,000 cars zoom by every day (there is also usually someone kipping somewhere after a late night out that wakes up wondering what on earth is going on…and a few confused cyclists!) but then we are off setting up for special day.
2011 — The branded one taken over by the Elvis
We worked with 51 Studio who took inspiration from posters from the many theatres along the street to create a brand that honoured the history of the street in our posters and they have done every one since…
We’d learnt lessons and had more ideas from the year before and thousands of people turned up. More and more random things start happening — like these local legends popping up with their sound system and belting out some Elvis tunes.
2012 — the rainy one
This is the one that all the regular volunteers still say was the one with the most love. After standing on the street the night before with an awful weather forecast on the cards — Soraya, Wendy and I got brave and decided to embrace the bad weather, got a bus on the street, and invited everyone to wear their wellies and dance in the rain!
2013 — Building the love
We came back from the wet one — with jumpers of joy, gorgeous banners and a load of love — in hindsight this is where the resilience was starting to build up, volunteers that turned up every year, a determination to do more, learn and listen to feedback. Locally everyone was asking if it would happen again — it became an event people looked forward to.
2014 — the first one with Union Corner
We had somewhere to get ready!!! It was a game changer…
2015— We stay local
We had been asked to scale the event and go big — but we made the choice that a local family should always feel it is an event for them and want to come and have a fun day out without worrying about whether they could afford it. We also committed to support local talent and local businesses in every way we can…and we still do.
2017-the year the street didn’t close
This was the year where we took the leap to set up Nudge to buy buildings and create long term impact — it was huge for us personally and for the people around us. Then the road closure people didn’t turn up…it turned into the biggest test of our team and all the people joining in, we freaked out, we cried, Maria gave us a good talking to, and then we rejigged everything along Manor Street, Palace Square and Union Corner and everyone just squeezed in — it was OK — just!
2020 — In the jaws of the pandemic
It 100% shouldn’t have happened but it was absolutely what we all needed. It was the year when people cried when they got on the street because it had been so long since we’d been together. It was where everyone made it work within restrictions. One way systems, noise limits, social distancing, limited numbers — it was a huge risk, but everyone cared enough to make it work.
2022 — we had to delay, the wedding and just after we bought C103
We thought it was all going smoothly when the Queen died and the whole country went into mourning so we delayed, but it also meant delaying the first ever Union Street Party wedding. Luckily it all worked out in the end and the couple got their special day!
2023 — so much joy in the sky
Last year we had aerial dancers and a teddy bear zip wire flying around and a tonne of love, colour, dancing and fun on the street. Hundreds of people make it such a different and special event and we are so grateful to all of you for turning up and making that magic happen.
2024 — What will it be this year??? Come and join us and find out xxx
