An interactive inflatable labyrinth, featuring a light and sound experience, will pop up in Hanley Park next month to kick off the city centre’s 10th year of The Big Feast festival.

Luminarium - Architects of Air by Alan Parkinson will open to the public on Wednesday 14 August, and promises to immerse visitors in ‘a world of wonder’. The inflatable maze takes visitors along winding paths and under soaring domes inspired by natural forms, Islamic architecture, Archimedean solids and Gothic cathedrals. 

The installation will be open in Hanley Park from 1pm to 7pm on Wednesday 14 August, and Thursday 15 August, and from 11am to 5pm on Friday 16 August. Tickets are priced at £5 for adults and are free for 18s and under, with pre-booking encouraged. Every time slot has a number of tickets available for walk-ups with the exception of the first hour every day. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Appetite are bringing the Luminarium to Stoke-on-Trent to launch this year’s The Big Feast, a free two-day festival-style event which takes place on the streets and under-used spaces of Hanley in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Business Improvement District (BID), Smithfield and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

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Taking place this year on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August, it features world-class circus, dance and music performances and family-friendly activities -all wheelchair accessible and free - as well as a schedule of audio-described and sign language interpreted performances.

The 10th anniversary will also be celebrated with a photographic exhibition at the New Vic Theatre, looking at the ‘A to Z of The Big Feast’, from Tuesday 23 July.

You can book tickets for Luminarium – Architects of Air by Alan Parkinson at appetite.org.uk Pre-booking your tickets gives priority access in that time slot, while a certain number of tickets in every slot are available for walk-ups. Time slots are every 30 minutes but once inside there is no time limit on your visit, except at very busy times.

The first hour of each day will be designated as a ‘quiet hour’ for people who might otherwise struggle to attend. During quiet hour, there will be 50% fewer people admitted to offer a calmer experience. All slots in the quiet hour are available to book. The installation is accessible to wheelchair users.