Family rave lights up Rotherham bar and bistro

Party-goers young and old flocked to the 1915 bar on Domine Lane at the weekend for the venue’s first Family Rave, organised by events company Big Fish, Little Fish.

The event aimed to combine the colours, tunes and euphoric atmosphere of a 90s rave with family-friendly factors like bubbles, balloons, ball pools and craft tables.

Several revellers went along in carnival-inspired get-ups, while others nodded to rave culture with day-glo face paint or flashing trainers.

As dance tunes filled the pub and a big screen showed projections of club-style geometric images, children from pre-school to primary school age took the chance to decorate a mask, have a colourful temporary tattoo done or model with playdough.

Part kids’ club, part nightclub, it was a bizarre combination, especially as the early autumn rain thumped down outside, but one carnival-loving artist Vicky Hilton believed had paid off.

“I do work with festivals all over the country so I had come across Big Fish Little Fish and wanted to bring them to Rotherham,” she said.

“It was meant to bring children and their parents together to have fun.

“Sometimes you just see kids sitting in a corner on their iPads but this brought everyone together.

“A lot of people I spoke to on the days were DJs themselves and they said they loved having something like this to take their kids to.

“Glenn Ashton, who DJed for us has worked on some really big raves in the past so it was great being able to bring him to Rotherham.

“The feedback I’ve been getting is why couldn’t we do it every week.”

Vicky said planning was now under way for a Christmas event featuring a traditional Santa Claus for kids and a “Bad Santa” character for parents, with full details to be revealed nearer the time.