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Entertainment | Relocate to Derby
The annual open-air concert at Darley Park is one of the biggest free concerts of its kind. It is one of many performances given throughout the year by Sinfonia Viva, a professional chamber orchestra based in Derby. The Derby Jazz group caters for the jazz interest in the city and is regarded as one of the UK's leading live jazz organizations.
Markeaton Park hold an annual fireworks display. The fair comes into town, there is always a giant bonfire and an impressive display of fireworks. During the summer Markeaton Park has a host of activities including large paddling pool with fountains, bouncy castle, 2 play areas, donkey rides, crazy golf, pitch and put golf, football pitches, scateboard/bmx area, mini car rides, boating lake, fishing, craft village, tea rooms, pavement train, mini steam train, picnic areas, plenty to keep all the family happy.
Derby Playhouse regularly receives acclaim in the national press for its productions, particularly, in recent years, for its staging of shows by Stephen Sondheim.
Derby Assembly rooms has a variety of acts, musical, comedy, children's entertainment and not forgetting the annual Pantomime. Bands such as The feeling, Embrace, Mel C and the Sugar Babes have played at the Assembly Rooms.
QUAD is a new Visual Arts and Media Centre currently under construction in Derby. Work has commenced on the QUAD building and is due to be complete in 2008. The new building will house two digital cinema screens showing the best in independent and Hollywood cinema, two gallery spaces housing contemporary visual arts, a mac studio, participation spaces, digital editing suites, artists studio and a darkroom.
Derby Arboretum was the first public park in the country, and is thought to have been one of the inspirations for Central Park in New York. Although it suffered from neglect in the 1990s, it has recently undergone extensive improvement and renovation.
The city of Derby has a burgeoning punk scene, and this is supported by many prominent punk, ska and hardcore bands playing the Vic Inn, a local biker pub. In recent years it has attracted many big names such as The Casualties, Agnostic Front, and UK Subs, as well as the many local punk and ska bands. Famous bands such as The Ordinary Boys, Snow Patrol and The View have played there. In addition to this, the Derby Punx Picnic is held annually at the Bass Recreation Ground. Here underground punk and ska bands perform late into the night. The Punx Picnic has become an event in recent years, the attendance rising from around 300 in 2005 to just over 1000 in 2006. The festival attracts punks from all over the East Midlands and the UK.