Bars in the Park is a one-day celebration of culture, creativity, and community empowerment in Gloucester.

Launching on Saturday, October 12, this event marks the culmination of four years of work and features two major highlights: the long-awaited Multipurpose Bar Park conceived and developed by CHISPA CIC and the return of Kings Jam Festival.

Taking place at Bakers Field, Gloucester Park (next to the Skate Park) from 10am to 10pm, the event will showcase performances, workshops and showcases from both local and international talent.

Bars in the Park aims to empower young people and artists while transforming public spaces into vibrant cultural hubs for the community.

This is a one-day celebration of culture, creativity and black music empowering the community of Gloucester.

With a vision to transform this outdoor space into a vibrant cultural hub, Bars in the Park aims to engage young people, empower local artists, and promote community cohesion through an exciting programme of performances, workshops and activities.

Kings Jam Festival (KJF), Gloucester's celebration of Black music and culture, makes its eagerly awaited comeback. Since its inception in 2017, Kings Jam Festival has made a significant impact on the local music scene and community. It has supported over 100 emerging artists and musicians, providing them with opportunities to perform on stage.

The festival has reached an impressive audience of more than 12,000 people and featured 12 high-quality national headline acts. Beyond performances, KJF has contributed to skill development in the creative sector, up-skilling over 120 participants through workshops and panels, including engaging with over 60 young people in the planning and delivery of the festival, helping develop the next generation of event organisers and promoters.

Malaki Patterson, co-founder of Kings Jam Festival, said: "After two challenging years, we're thrilled to bring Kings Jam back to Gloucester. This festival has always been about showcasing local talent alongside renowned national acts, and this year's event promises to be an exciting return as we continue to build back up to future festivals."

This event has been made possible by the support and funding of Gloucester City Council, Chispa CIC, Big Give and Together Gloucester Bar Park built and supplied by The Great Outdoor Gym Company Ltd (TGO) are supplying the equipment. Made in Britain, TGO is the UK pioneer of outdoor gyms, starting in 2007. TGO recognises that callisthenics has boomed since its outdoor gym installations have been in place from Westbourne Park, to Shadwell basin to Burgess Park in London. Often these spaces are hard to find outside of London. Callisthenics is a form of urban gymnastics.

Female founder Georgie Delaney MBE is a big advocate of Calisthenics and hugely excited about this project. She said: "With bar parks like these, urban gymnastics is free and available to all. We have seen amazing results in London and it is great to see that now being spread out to other counties across the UK.'

This event is more than just entertainment; it's a platform for youth empowerment and leadership development. Local young people have played an integral role in planning and managing the event, gaining hands-on experience in event organisation, creative leadership, and community building.

The event will also serve as a stage for Gloucester-based talent to shine, offering opportunities for artists to showcase their skills and explore progression pathways in the creative industries.

In addition to the Kings Jam Festival's line-up of acclaimed national and local artists, Bars in the Park will feature a community chase tag competition, parkour, callisthenics, acrobatics, freestyle & flow and breaking workshops and showcases. Highlights include showcases and workshops by organisations like Upswing and Your Next Move, engaging audiences in a range of activities that demonstrate the creativity and energy of Gloucester's young people.

The festival will also offer food stalls and merchandise, supporting local businesses and stimulating the city's economy. Visitors will be encouraged to view Bakers Field as a shared cultural space, fostering community interaction and inclusion.

Bars in the Park represents the culmination of four years of hard work and vision by CHISPA CIC and their youth team and the ongoing work by Kings Jam. It's a celebration of what has been achieved and an exciting glimpse into the future of Gloucester's cultural scene.