One of Goole’s best-known landmarks will become the backdrop for a breath-taking, music-led projection show to kick-start the town’s 200th birthday celebrations.
Shine On Goole will see St John’s Parish Church host ‘A Port In Green Fields’, which will transform the Grade II-listed structure into a ‘ship of stories’, taking audiences on a voyage through 200 years of history. Billed as a ‘collage of archive, illustration and light’, the six-minute show will be split into minute-long chapters, each of which will cover a different period in the town’s history, from its transition from marshland to the Company Town of the Aire and Calder Navigation Company, its ‘age of sail’ and era of coal, steam and Tom Puddings right through to the present day.
The show, which will be repeated on a loop during to allow as many people as possible to enjoy it, will also offer a glimpse into Goole’s increasingly bright future as an investment hotspot and hub for green industry. The projection show will take place on the evenings of March 19 and 20. It is being developed by Focal Studios, an innovative audiovisual design and technology consultancy specialising in immersive visual experiences. Elsewhere in the town centre, families will be able to enjoy a new sound and light installation called ‘And…Breathe’ by Pif-Paf, a highly-acclaimed visual and physical theatre company. ‘And…Breathe’ explores breath, breathing alone and breathing together. It promotes interaction and mindfulness, encouraging audiences to stay a while and enjoy a fully immersive experience, and use their breath to interact with the lights and sound. This striking installation will be located on the pedestrianised precinct on Boothferry Road and comprises a structure sculpted from steam-bent Ash, brought to life by integrated light and sound. Visitors to the town centre will also be able to see a mesmerising piece of street theatre called ‘Spark’ by Worldbeaters Music, which combines high impact drumming with kaleidoscopic lighting design. Ethereal, playful characters use captivating and dramatic music to interact with the crowd and lead spectators on a spellbinding journey.
Cllr Nick Coultish, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, said: “Shine On Goole is the first of a series of events organised by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to mark the town’s 200th birthday year. We’re delighted to be bringing some highly renowned visual art and theatre to Goole and this event promises to be a wonderful spectacle for local families to enjoy. We’re very grateful to Goole Museum, local people and community history groups who have shared their invaluable knowledge of the town’s rich heritage, enabling Focal Studios to develop a truly memorable projection show that illuminates the town’s fascinating history.” Cllr Coultish said the council submitted a successful funding bid to Arts Council England called Our Town, Our Time, which was match-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This is being used to fund Shine On Goole and other headline events that are planned for later in the year, and also to support, promote and showcase the broader programme of events, activities and celebrations taking place in Goole during 2026. He added: “We’re very proud to be working alongside a host of community and voluntary sector partners that have come together to mark the town’s bicentenary, including those that make up the Goole 2026 Bicentenary Group.” Shine On Goole will take place between 6.30pm and 8.30pm on March 19 and 20 and is a free event. Further information can be found on the Goole 200 website at https://www.goole200.org.uk
A projection of what the show will look like. (26-2-112 SU)
