Angels to float in Milton Keynes skies dropping white feathers as part of massive summer festival

Milton Keynes International Festival (IF) is returning in the summer with a jam-packed programme of entertainment and events.

Between July 21 and July 30, there will be live music, large-scale outdoor events, circus shows, comedy, cabaret, installations and free family activities.

One of the most spectacular will be the Place des Anges, created and performed by French theatre company Gratte Ciel.

An IF spokesman said: “As night falls across the city, angels begin to appear, high up in the sky. They move through the air, magically suspended above the crowd below.

"The angels start to glide down into the audience, releasing white feathers which float across the sky. Each angel has their own unique character and style and as their aerial antics become more boisterous, the clouds of feathers thicken, creating a sense of awe and wonder.”

This will take place on Friday 28 July in Central Milton Keynes.

A Spiegeltent in Campbell Park will be a focal point of the festival, where shows will include Barely Methodical Troupe’s award-winning Bromance and comedian Suzi Ruffell, as well as the Nick Cope Family Concert.

Turin Brakes will perform on Thursday July 27, as part of a nationwide tour marking the release of the band’s ninth studio album, Wide-Eyed Nowhere.And music legends Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp are booked for an upbeat set of hits and much-loved rock classics with a full band on Friday July 28.

On Saturday July 29, festival favourite La Voix – aka Britain’s Funniest Redhead – is swinging into town with her most ambitious show yet. .

Another highlight will be the world premiere with a theme of Amazing Grace to mark 250 years since the hymn was written by John Newton in Olney.

A voice and chamber ensemble with music by the composer Roderick Williams and text by poet Rommi Smith will perform a contemporary response to the hymn, performed by Chineke! Chamber Ensemble, part of Europe’s first majority-Black and ethnically diverse orchestra.

Commissioned by Olney’s Cowper & Newton Museum with The Stables, this will be performed on July 22 at The Stables.

To mark the end of the festival on Sunday July 30, Monster Ceilidh Band will be unleashing their infectious blend of folk and drum for a wrap party.

Milton Keynes International Festival was founded in 2010 and takes place every two years. It is produced by The Stables and supported by Arts Council England and Mk City Council.

You can find more information or book tickets here.

Creating unique and memorable experiences, the festival is designed to encourage residents and visitors to see a different side to Milton Keynes.

Presenting a world-class, multi-arts programme, it includes new commissions, site-specific and community participation projects, large-scale/outdoor and family events, concerts, theatre, dance, music and visual arts installations.

Engaging over a million people in six previous editions (2010 - 2021), the festival takes place in locations across MK, including parks, public squares, commercial and retail spaces, as well as in the online and digital realm.