The Olympic Torch Relay Convoy will arrive in Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday 15 June at approximately 4:30pm and weave its way through the city where there will be a number of key locations with entertainment to welcome the Torch and cheer it on its way. The Relay will culminate in an amazing Celebration Event to be held on Newcastle’s Quayside at 7pm.
The Torch will be carried on to the Tyne Bridge where a Torch Bearer will zip wire it from the Tyne Bridge, over the river and down to Gateshead Quays.
The celebrations on the Quayside kick off from 4.30pm at a stage located at St. Ann’s Quay and will finish at approximately 8pm.
The Celebration will enable thousands of people to enjoy a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay - Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung - with support from Newcastle City Council.
Newcastle City Council will present two, ten-minute slots of locally programmed entertainment during the evening celebration.
The opening ten minutes will involve fifteen young people from Newcastle who will create a performance which will represent a journey exploring the shifts in culture of the Games - from the ‘modern’ Games in the 19th Century to the ‘contemporary’ Games – both Olympic and Paralympic, where we value Excellence and Determination as well as Equality.
The performance will be expressed through some truly spectacular movement combining Parkour, Dance and Circus-skills as well as friendliness and wit, for which Newcastle is renowned for.
The final 10 min slot will be a performance of JigHop, a performing ensemble mixing North East traditional tunes with hiphop urban culture, under the artistic direction of Kathryn Tickell.
The three Presenting Partners will also each provide 20 minutes of exciting and stimulating entertainment for the event. This will include Coca-Cola showcasing exciting up-and-coming live music acts including indie rock trio from Jarrow and Newcastle - Little Comets, Lloyds TSB bringing stunning acrobatic performances to the site and Samsung staging dance performances including winners of Sky‘s smash hit dance show ‘Got To Dance’ Chris & Wes and ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ finalists Twist & Pulse.
Prior to and during the show, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities courtesy of Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. These include having your photograph taken with the London 2012 Torch and other Olympic-related activities.
Towards the end of the three hour show, the last Torchbearer of the day in Newcastle, Will Harding, will light a celebration cauldron on stage at the event which will enable the Olympic Flame to be seen by the audience.
Henri Murison, Cabinet Member for Quality of Life, said: "Newcastle is proud to be a host council for the games, and our evening celebration on the Quayside will be a highlight of the build up to the Games. The talent we will have on show at the evening celebration will demonstrate all that is best about our city and our region. I know local people will be proud of their city on the night which will have a carnival atmosphere, and all those there will enjoy the show we will put on."
Seb Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: “The evening celebrations give the whole family a chance to share the excitement of the Olympic Games as we countdown to the Opening Ceremony.
“The event in Newcastle upon Tyne is set for an exciting line-up, including performances from talented local people who will give the celebration a distinct feel. I am looking forward to the series of 66 evening celebrations showing how diverse the UK’s cultural life is as the eyes of the world turn our way.”
James Williams, Director, Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola: “We are thrilled to be taking some of the nation’s best loved and most exciting up-and-coming musical talent on the road for an incredible 66 night tour to give young people across the country the chance to participate in the magic of London 2012. We’re encouraging everyone to join us in celebrating the Coca-Cola Future Flames who have carried the Olympic Flame through their communities by finding out more about their local events.”
Sally Hancock, Director, 2012 Partnership and Group Sponsorship at Lloyds Banking Group, said: "As the only National Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, we're encouraging everyone to celebrate with Lloyds TSB as the Flame passes their front door. To find out how you can join in the celebrations with Lloyds TSB in your community and how local residents at each evening celebration site can win tickets to London 2012, please visit www.lloydstsb.com/london2012”
Andy Griffiths, Managing Director, Samsung UK and Ireland said: “We are delighted to be supporting the 66 Evening Celebrations during the Olympic Torch Relay. Samsung’s ambition is to make London 2012 everyone’s Olympic Games and for these celebrations we have created opportunities for as many people as possible to take part in what we’re sure will be an unforgettable experience.”
Access to the staged area is limited to ticket holders. A ballot to apply for tickets opens on Monday 21 May and will close at midnight on Monday 28 May. Tickets can be applied for online at www.newcastle.gov.uk/torchevent
- with a maximum of four tickets per household.
Whilst there is a staged ticketed area, all of the Evening Celebrations will be broadcast live on huge screens which can be viewed for free from Newcastle Quayside. This area will be pedestrianised from 2pm on Friday afternoon, and will be the best location to view the torch being zip wired from the Tyne Bridge.
There will be some temporary road closures leading up to and during the Torch Relay thereby causing some congestion around the city centre.
Whilst every effort will be made to keep disruption to a minimum, we would advise you to factor it in to your travel plans for the evening.
Nearest Metro stations to the Quayside are Manors or Monument, both only a 10 minute walk, or the Q2 Quayside bus will be running to the bottom of Dean Street – the quayside will be close to traffic from 2pm. If you need to bring your car, there is car parking available across the city centre.
The Olympic Torch Relay started at Land’s End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land’s End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.
About the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners:
As the longest standing Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola will be using its heritage and experience to spread excitement across the UK ahead of London 2012. Coca-Cola's national nomination campaign - Future Flames – has focused on finding inspirational young people from across the country to have the once in a lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame. This summer Coca-Cola will celebrate these Future Flames: young people who use their passions in areas like sport and physical activity, music and dance, and community and the environment; to spread happiness in their local communities. Find out more at: www.coca-cola.co.uk/olympic-games
As the only National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB will be taking the spirit and inspiration of the Olympic Flame right to the heart of communities across the UK. As part of Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of Scotland will be the National Presenting Partner in Scotland. Celebrate and cheer the arrival of the Flame in your community with Lloyds TSB’s Flame Followers. Our troupe of performers include the best of British talent who’ve been brought together to create a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport. Lloyds TSB’s Flame Followers will inspire and excite crowds through performances that celebrate the endeavour, athleticism, agility and skills of our national Olympic sporting heroes, Team GB. When you visit Lloyds TSB at a Community Celebration, you can have your photo taken with the Olympic Torch, meet Lloyds TSB Local Heroes – the future stars of Team GB and Paralympics GB in your community – and get up close to our Flame Followers. To find out how you can join in the celebrations with Lloyds TSB in your community please visit www.lloydstsb.com/london2012
As a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Samsung is providing national and international Olympic Torchbearers through its worldwide public nomination process. These ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunities to carry the Olympic Flame on its journey around the UK, represents one of the many ways that Samsung is enabling people from all corners of the world to be part of the greatest show on Earth. Becoming an Olympic Torchbearer thanks to Samsung means everyone can become a part of the Olympic history. From June 13th 2011, Samsung has invited the world to recognise its unsung heroes. Samsung’s nomination programme for Olympic Torchbearers is a worldwide search for these unique and selfless individuals. The campaign has been communicated globally via a wide range of marketing channels to ensure that the maximum number of people become aware of the opportunity. It is Samsung’s ambition that London 2012 will be an event that reaches and involves more people than on any other Olympic Games occasion. To learn more about the Samsung nomination programme, please visit www.samsung.com/london2012.
The Supporters of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay are:
Worldwide Olympic Partners Procter and Gamble and Visa, Tier One Partners adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT and EDF, Tier Three Providers Aggreko, Holiday Inn and NATURE VALLEY.
London 2012 Games partners:
The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.
LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS.
There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.
There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Supplier, Otto Bock. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.
Page last updated: 21 May, 2012
