Hull Trains is making a major arts festival in the city this September accessible for all, after the open access operator announced that it will offer free travel to Freedom Festival from a number of destinations.
Freedom Festival, which is in its 19th year, will be held from 3rd to 6th September. It’s renowned for bringing striking installations and large-scale street theatre to Hull city centre.
To help even more people visit Hull on the most popular days of the festival this year (4 and 5 September), Hull Trains is providing free Standard Class travel to Hull from Doncaster, Selby, Howden and Brough on selected services.
Hull Trains is a proud champion of the city, also supporting Pride in Hull with free travel to the popular event in July as part of a commitment to championing inclusivity and diversity. The operator also recently partnered with Hull Maritime Museum to create a special video providing customers and visitors with an exclusive preview inside the city’s cultural attraction, ahead of its re-opening.
Freedom Festival is set to be particularly special this year, featuring the return of a range of night-time performances. Friday and Saturday night will see an impressive circus performance, with visitors encouraged to simply pay what they can to watch the spectacle.
Nathan Rayne, Interim Service Delivery Director at Hull Trains, said: “It’s been a summer to remember in our home city this year and we’ve been proud to support events including Pride in Hull, the re-opening of the iconic Maritime Museum and now the upcoming Freedom Festival.
“The event is set to be a real showcase of arts and culture in Hull, with exciting displays around every corner. We can’t wait to welcome visitors to the city as we offer free travel on the busiest days for the festival. This will be the perfect way for families to end the summer.”
Holly Philo from Freedom Festival, said: “It’s incredible to have support from Hull Trains to enable more people to access the festival. It’s part of continued work to ensure as many people as possible can access culture and to ensure we continue to do all we can for the environment. Hull Trains have been incredible in supporting getting artists to the festival and that support is invaluable. We can’t wait to see everyone enjoying the festival and Buddy the Dog!”
To celebrate the partnership, Hull Trains brought a two-metre tall dog, Buddy, to Hessle Foreshore for a striking photoshoot by the Humber Bridge. The cute dog and his owner, Granny Bea, will be a part of the festival this year. The artists behind the quirky idea are Hull-based Wild Giant Arts.
Find out more about the free travel and view full terms and conditions here.