The Night of The Year: Review!

The second biannual Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, Night of the Year (as part of the Bristol Festival of Photography) took place on Saturday May 12th and was a huge success!

Starting the event at 7:30pm was a slight oversight as the projections weren't visible until 9pm as they were competing with the glorious sunshine!  Not that we're complaining!

When the outdoor cinema finally appeared the assembled crowd were treated to an old cowboy movie, a 1960s Public Information Film on the dangers of drugs and the Carey Grant rarity "Room For One More". Rumour has it the outdoor cinema could become a regular feature on the Steps in the summer months! 

The parade of projections were interspered with a food stall selling the best curry in town and a fun painting with light workshop. Revellers spilled from Jenny Life Gallery and SHOP's arts space topping up their plastic cups at the Bristol Cider Shop as they went.

Thank you to all participating exhibitors, Jenny Life Gallery, Odd and Eden and Lydia Beardmore, Martin Harris and Danny Griffin. And a special thank you to SHOP, Fotohaus and Geneva Stop for organising the whole thing. Also to Lynda and Cathy for the food and Pete and Nick at Bristol Cider Shop for providing the Bar.

A great community event organised by the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter community!

Hoisting the cinema screen into position.

Lydia Beardmore setting up the light painting workshop, with a portrait looking on!

Finally!  A screen!

Beautiful sunshine, we were lucky with weather.

Cider-men, at your service in the Official Bar.

Blacking out the street lamps, so that the projections could shine.

Taking a photo, of someone taking a photo, whoaaa! Jenny Life Gallery in the background having a busy night at her exhibition and projection (in the lovely garden)

The light is fading and the projections are starting to show themselves

Lydia Beardmore's image of the Christmas Steps Arch, at the entrance to The Night of the Year

One of a reel of projections by Fotohaus

More Fotohaus projections (wish there really was a big wheel on the Steps!)

Three generations: portraits by Diane Auckland

Eating chips under the arch!

By around half past nine, the darkness really allowed the projections to show themselves in their glory

SHOP's showreel was back projected onto their window, it was a showreel of images of the Arts Quarter, past and present

The chapel at the top of the Steps, moved down the steps in photo-form!

Photo-lamposts were popular!...

...As was the Bristol Cider Shop bar!

Odd and Eden (photographers) showcased their portfolio.

The cinema!

Food was provided by Lynda and Cathy's pop-up veggie cafe and it was DELISH!

60s PIF about the dangers of drug-taking, you have been warned!

We all sat on the Steps to watch the films - it's the perfect natural amphitheatre.

The projector was retro to match the films.