First Light Festival takes place on Lowestoft’s South Beach, seafront promenades, and Kensington Gardens. Our unique setting is very beautiful, however, the natural environment and Victorian infrastructure may mean it is not easy to navigate for everyone.
We have compiled the guide below to help you plan your visit and consider what support and/or equipment you might need to enjoy the festival.
If there are ways that we can make First Light Festival more accessible to you, or if you have any access questions not answered on this page, please email us at info@firstlightlowestoft.com.
At a glance
Some of the ways we are trying to remove barriers to the festival include:
– BSL interpretation available at a series of events
– Two beach wheel chairs which can be booked out for free ahead of time or on the day (availability dependent)
– Trackway on the beach between several venues
– Complimentary Companion tickets to any of our paid Saturday Sundown events
Details for these can be found on this page.
Brochure
All of our events can be found online. If you would like a large print or audio version please email us at info@firstlightlowestoft.com.
BSL Interpreted Performances
We will have BSL interpretation at multiple performances across the festival weekend.
Unfortunately we don’t not currently have provision for hearing loops.
Tickets
First Light Festival is free entry and you are welcome to come and go as much as you like over the weekend.
Over 150+ events are free and you don’t need a ticket. Our Saturday Sundown events are ticketed and take place in venues around Lowestoft once the free beach programme ends at 21:30. You can find specific access information for each of this years ticketed events by clicking the link through to the event page:
Coco Maria Afterparty at Mossy’s
Silent Disco at East Point Pavilion
Moonlit Soundscapes at St John and St Peter Church
Shaparak Khorsandi at the Seagull Theatre
Jazz at Royal Suffolk & Norfolk Yacht Club
We are happy to provide a complimentary Personal Assistant ticket for each paid-for ticket. If you would like to book a free PA ticket, please email us at info@firstlightfestival.com
Getting to the Festival
The best car park for step free access to the beach is Claremont Pier Carpark (opposite Claremont Pier).
Otherwise, there are a small number of allocated disabled bays on London Road South near the shops and on street parking on Kirkley Cliff Road and Pakefield Road near Kensington Gardens. For further information regarding blue badge on-street parking visit https://www.gov.uk/blue-badge-scheme-information-council
Disabled Accredited Parking spaces can be found here: https://www.dpaccreditation.org.uk/.
All East Suffolk Council car parks, including those on the seafront use the Ring Go app and is convenient for all car drivers https://www.myringgo.co.uk/?style=m/ .
For information on getting to the site via public transport see our Travel page.
Taxi
The following taxi companies can provide facilities for wheelchair users who need to travel in their wheelchairs or scooters:
Atlas Private Hire 01502 500000
Dial-a ride bus – 01986 896896
Beach wheelchairs and mobility hire
2 beach wheelchairs are available to from East Suffolk Council. You can book these for free by emailing either Beach.Wheelchairs@eastsuffolk.gov.uk, or lowestoft.beach@eastsuffolk.gov.uk, or calling the beach office between the hours of 10:00am till 16:00pm on 01502 586167.
Electric and manual wheelchairs and scooters are available for hire, daily or for holiday hire from:
– Lowestoft Shopmobility 01502 588857 lowestoftshopmob@btconnect.com
– Be-Active Mobility 01502 568848 or 0800 2118810
– East Coast Mobility 01502 514500
Assistant Dogs
Assistant dogs are welcome at First Light Festival, however please note that no other dogs are allowed on the beach at this time of year.
Toilets
Accessible toilets are available at :
– Portable toilets on Kensington Road
– Portable toilets on Jubilee Parade
– Pagoda public toilets on Jubilee Parade.
– East Point Pavilion public toilets
Accessible Toilets which require a RADAR key are available in Kensington Gardens.
RADAR keys can be purchased from the D.I.A.L. office (161, Rotterdam Road, Lowestoft NR32 2EZ), the Shopmobility office (15, Station Square, Lowestoft NR32 1BA) or online via the RADAR Key Company. To report damage or any issues regarding the toilets, telephone Waveney Norse on 01502 527100.
CHANGING PLACES – There is a changing places facility at East Point Pavilion, which is approximately 25 minutes walk from the festival site.
Use of special effects
Unless otherwise stated, flicker, laser, strobe and other lighting affects will not be used in our performances.
Getting around the Festival site
South Beach is large and flat, comprising of very soft sand, becoming more pebbly closer the sea. We will be putting in a temporary trackway on the beach for access to several of the zones, as well as a small number of food concessions, a bar, information point, box office and toilets. An accessible route map is currently being updated and will be available prior to the festival.
Kensington gardens is a park with level tarmac pathways. Some routes have a small number of steps – check our access map for best routes through the gardens to the rest of the festival site.
The Upper Esplanade is a wide, tarmacked path divided in a walkway for pedestrians and a cycle lane running from South Pier and East Point Pavilion to Kensington Gardens. It has a slight and steady incline from Claremont Pier to Kensington Gardens. It is approximately a 10-20 minute walk or wheel (depending on your speed) from Claremont Pier to Kensington Gardens. There are benches along the length of the Upper Esplanade for rests.
Jubilee Parade is a wide, flat and level tarmacked path from Claremont Pier to All Saints Road in Pakefield. It is approximately a 10-20 minute walk or wheel (depending on your speed) from Claremont Pier to the main festival site on the beach. There is a concrete wall that runs alongside it which is suitable for taking a seated rest enroute.
Additionally, there are various slopes and steps between the upper esplanade and jubilee parade but many of these are very steep.
Festival Zones
Sunlight Stage
– Performances are viewable from the beach, trackway and Jubilee Parade. Please note this is public access and not a managed viewing area.
– Seating is not provided.
Moon Dance
– Wheelchair accessible via ramp onto trackway from Jubilee Parade.
– Solid wooden floor inside
Seating available.
First Word
– Wheelchair accessible via ramp onto trackway from Jubilee Parade.
– Solid wooden floor inside
– Seating available.
New Dawn Stage
– This stage is only viewable from the beach. There is no trackway to this stage
– Accessible using beach wheelchairs.
DJ in the Dunes
– This stage is only viewable from the beach. There is no trackway to this stage
– Accessible using beach wheelchairs.
Cosmic Pirates
– Wheelchair accessible to the zone via ramp onto trackway from Jubilee Parade.
– These tents do not have a solid floor. All activities take place on the sand.
– Accessible using beach wheelchairs.
Wellbeing by the Waves
– There is no trackway to this stage
– Access and activities are on the sand.
– Accessible using beach wheelchairs.
Wild Beach Camping
– Access and activities are on the sand.
– Wild Beach Camping is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Planet Positive (including Power Positive, Interstellar Ideas and Charity Super Market)
– Wheelchair accessible via ramp onto trackway from Jubilee Parade.
– Solid wooden floor inside
– Seating available
Gardens Stage
– The Gardens Stage can be enjoyed from the Boating Lake area of Kensington Gardens
– The Boating Lake has level tarmacked pathways with grassed areas
– Seating available.
Noon to Moon in the Japanese Gardens
– The sunken area of Japanese Gardens is only accessible via a small number of steps which can be slippery when wet.
Makers Market
– The Makers Market is situated on the Upper Esplanade, which has level, tarmacked path
Feast Street
– Feast Street is situated on the Upper Esplanade, which has level, tarmacked path