A Day To Remember: Soundabout’s Summer Festival

On Thursday 24 July, Soundabout hosted its vibrant online Summer Festival, The Hills Are Alive … with Soundabouters!, a joyful celebration of accessible, multi-sensory music-making, inspired by beloved musicals. From Mary Poppins to Wicked, the day was filled with singing, dancing, waving, wiggling, and pure joy.

Soundabouters joined from across the country via Zoom, exploring a rich line-up of themed sessions through an interactive online map. Highlights included Simba Sunrise from The Lion King, a Sensory Circus inspired by The Greatest Showman, sharing Our Favourite Things with The Sound of Music, and Stepping in Time inspired by Mary Poppins. The day concluded with a magical finale; There’s No Place Like the Wiked.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our incredible practitioners and team, whose talent and energy made the day truly unforgettable. And to our wonderful Soundabouters – thank you for bringing the magic. You made the festival shine!

A special moment came from West End star Phillip Browne in the lead up to the festival, who shared a touching message and special video performance, just for Soundabouters and inspired by The Lion King. Phillip, thank you, your words and song meant the world to us.

Following the festival, parents, families, and carers told us that:

‘Thank you so much for making a perfect and very special day for him, in a world where he enjoys little variety, and has little created just for him to enjoy, this was a solitary spot on and had him captivated in each and every session he joined.’

‘You guys just get better every time! Very emotional at the end of a truly wonderful day’

‘What a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, wicked, greatest show. Once again, the Soundabout practitioners pulled out all the stops to make such an amazing day.’

The festival was offered on a pay-what-you-can basis, ensuring accessibility for all. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unforgettable day of inclusive musical celebration.