Fleetwood’s Festival of Transport: Tram Sunday is returning Sunday 16 July alongside creative arts festival SpareParts, brought to town by local arts company. The free event will be taking over the town with a whole host of acts, performances and special vehicles lined up for the day.
This year is especially important as the festival coincides with the 125th anniversary of trams to Fleetwood (1898-2023).
To kick off the festival the transport and art parades are combining together to make one spectacular show. The parade will start from Ash Street at 11:45am, where it will travel the length of Lord Street and North Albert Street, ending up at Euston Gardens.
Alongside SpareParts performers this year in the parade there will also be local schools, community groups and services, mounted police, the MG Club, vehicles from popular film and TV and Fleetwood RNLI.
Tram Sunday is the UK’s largest free transport and arts event that showcases retro and vintage car displays as well as the town’s classic heritage trams. This year the festival will feature a static heritage Blackpool to Fleetwood Balloon Tram and the always popular Western Train. These will be located at the Ferry Café Interchange.
On the day of the festival heritage trams are operating a 30-minute service, between North Pier and Fisherman’s Walk (please see Blackpool Heritage Trams website for more details).
We also have several replica vehicles from film and tv to thrill transport and film enthusiasts of all ages:
- Lightening McQueen (Cars)
- Ecto 1 (Ghostbusters)
- The A-Team Van
- KITT (Knight Rider)
- DeLorean (Back to the Future)
- Chevy Blazer (Stranger Things)
- Volvo P1800 coupe (The Saint)
- 1969 Dodge Charger (The Dukes of Hazzard)
The SpareParts element of the festival this year is made up of eclectic and entertaining performers including:
- Artizani Lifeboat (Walkabout act)
- Bell and Bullock (Walkabout act)
- Bombay Baja (Europe’s leading Indian Brass Band)
- Elton Wrong (Walkabout act)
- Circus Fudge (Walkabout act)
- Thingumajig Theatre (Walkabout act)
- The Spirit of Courage accompanied by Blackpool based drag artist Nikky Rush and ‘The Ocean’ – a troupe of dancers from Fleetwood based dance school The Monarchy Dance Squad
- The Gastropods (Giant Glowing Snails)
- The Bloco Band (A six piece Brazilian Bloco drumming band)
Catch them as they wander through the crowds spinning a yarn, asking for help on their quests or providing live music to get the party started.
Head over to the live band stage from 10am (near the Fisherman’s Walk tram stop) where you'll find a variety of Fleetwood’s finest musicians. Rock, pop, soul – there’s something for everyone!
New for this year we have a very special friend joining us – Rum Ba Ba the GIANT inflatable whale. You’ll find him in Victoria Street outside Fleetwood Market where Netty, an eccentric marine biologist is ready to welcome you inside to tell you a very fishy tale. (2) TRAM SUNDAY at FLEETWOOD MARKET | Facebook
Food and drink will be available to buy throughout the festival and local retailers will be open.
Parking is free, the designated event car park is The ABP (Associated British Ports) car park on Dock Street (postcode FY7 6NU). Parking for disabled Blue Badge holders is available at Custom House Lane (postcode FY7 6BY).