FESTIVAL REVIEW: Big Flame Festival Finale

Derry welcomes the Olympic Flame with a series of events showcasing the talent in the city and beyond

Darrell Harpur of Strabane Academy lights the Olympic Cauldron in St. Columb's Park as "Children In Promise" kids, Ulster Olympians and presenter Zoe Salmon look on

The sight of a crowded Peace Bridge and the smell of burgers in St. Columb's Park isn't something you'd expect to take for granted on an overcast but warm June day. But June 4, 2012 is no ordinary day.

For the Olympic Torch is set to reach the end of a very long journey in Derry City, and to mark the occasion, a series of events is being held on a stage at St. Columb’s Park Stadium. Add the presence of a large screen, TV cameras, trailers and 12,000 people, and it’s a case of cometh the sporting season, cometh the excitement. At least that’s what we’re hoping for.

Looking suitably bubbly and radiant, presenter Zoe Salmon utters the tried and trusted cliché, “Let’s get the party started!”, and before you know it, we’re treated to a mixture of tap-dance, break dance and Riverdance from a youthful group of Irish-Scots dancers.

It’s an impressive showcase of what England’s cultural neighbours have to offer, accompanied by a slightly unorthodox but no less welcome mix of disco music, bagpipes, drumming and so on.

After a “how it all began” video that tells the story of the Olympic Flame’s journey from Land’s End to Derry – a journey of 1,800 miles, featuring over 2,000 torchbearers – Salmon hands us over to “our friends at Samsung”, and a DJ takes centre stage. It’s an amiable event, and even if the excessive commercialism (ever-present throughout the evening) arouses a little cynicism, the young audience is made to feel both happy and welcome.

If the aim of the organizers, Salmon, the sign-language man on stage and the performers is to give the evening a feeling of togetherness, then they’re doing a very good job. Twist And Pulse, of Britain’s Got Talent fame, clearly believe this, calling London 2012 “the most connected Olympics ever.” The duo then proceed to entertain the crowd with their own brand of “Streetomedy”, that is to say, street dance and comedy, featuring beat boxing mimicry and some “Power Rangers” poses. It’s not really my cup of tea, but the kids in the audience are enthralled.

It’s time for some local talent, and when MC Marvin Williams announces the impending arrival of General Fiasco, there are squeals ahoy from the front of the stage. The band suitably responds to such an enthusiastic response with a serviceable and sometimes experimental set featuring at least two brand new songs. At one point, the band offer to make one of their songs a new single if the crowd like it, which is a nice touch.

We complete the countdown to the “big moment” – the lighting of the Olympic cauldron – with a celebration of pride, both national and international, that has a vibe very much in keeping with the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.  Three local Olympic heroes, Charlie Nash, Terry Watt and Jackie McWilliams, and an Olympic hero’s daughter, Lianne Ball, are invited to join Derry mayor Alderman Maurice Devenney on stage whilst the crowd witness a series of Olympic highlights on the big screen.

It’s impossible not to get a tingle when watching the highlights, as they’re a timely and worthy reminder that for all the difficulties associated with the Olympics, they can be a terrific instrument of unification, and can create both new heroes and iconic moments. Bob Beamon’s long jump will always be my personal favourite.

The strains of Vangelis’ immortal theme from “Chariots Of Fire” indicate that the Olympic Torch is on its way, and within minutes, 12-year old Darrell Harpur from Strabane lights the cauldron to rapturous applause. It marks the end of a very, very long journey, and it’s left for the “traditional fusion music group”, Sontas, to see us on our way with some jaunty Ulster-Scots tunes before the security team put out the cauldron.

If one has reason to feel a little wary about such a big build up - pride comes before a fall, and all that - it's great to see Derry on the map again, and for the right reasons too. Let's hope the event helps inspire Derry-Londonderry to deliver next year. The city’s future, cultural or otherwise, could very much depend on it.