A festival based on Peaky Blinders is set to take place in September, the show’s creator has announced.
Steven Knight has co-curated the special event, which will include live music from Primal Scream and Anna Calvi, live recreations of scenes from the gangster drama, as well as fashion shows and displays of men’s grooming inspired by the series.
Called the Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival, the event will celebrate the popular series across two days in Birmingham’s Digbeth area.
Some 20,000 fans are expected to attend each day of the festival, which will use Digbeth’s historic streets, warehouses and factories, special lighting, sound, smoke, video mapping and special effects to bring the post-First World War era to life.
Contemporary dance company Rambert will stage a specially-commissioned performance, choreographed for the event by artistic director Benoit Swan Pouffer.
The festival will also include a cinema, a museum, food and drink offerings and poetry, among other activities and sights.
In addition, writer Steven will take part in a Q&A session along with special guests, and David Beckham’s fashion brand Kent and Curwen will showcase its official Peaky Blinders collaboration.
Steven said: “It is with enormous pleasure that I announce the first ever Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival, which is happening in the streets and alleys of Digbeth, Birmingham, on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 of September.
“It will be a festival of live music, performance, poetry, immersive theatre and experiences which will celebrate the swagger of the men and women who walked these same Digbeth streets 100 years ago.”
He also told fans to “expect the unexpected”, adding: “Expect 1919 to come crashing into 2019 and, be assured, everything is officially by order of the Peaky Blinders.”
The festival’s director and founder John Empson described the festival as a “brand new concept”, referring to its blend of music, art, immersive theatre, pop-up performances, bespoke food and drink and ballet.
Singer-songwriter Anna Calvi said: “I’m thrilled to be performing at the Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival. Scoring Peaky Blinders has been a major project for me this year and I’m excited to be bringing a special one-off version of my show to the festival.”
The Bafta-winning series, starring the likes of Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Helen McCrory, Sam Neill and Paul Anderson, has been a hit across the world.
It will soon return for its fifth series on BBC One after having jumped from BBC Two following a successful fourth series.
Tickets for the festival will be on general sale from Friday 9 August. Find out more information here.