Godiva After Dark, delivered in partnership with the hospitality sector, brought extra footfall and festival atmosphere to city centre venues into the evening on both nights.
Storming sets from Sunday headliners The Selecter and David Rodigan brought the event to a great finish.
Across the two days, the event showcased an array of Coventry talent and creativity, hosting numerous music acts across two stages – including new and emerging local artists at Godiva Calling – a breathtaking aerial spectacle in University Square, and a Secret Garden hosted in the beautiful Cathedral Ruins.
Themed parades, street entertainers and pop-up artists brought colour to the city centre throughout the weekend.
All 10,000 free tickets for the main stages were snapped up ahead of the event. However, a higher-than-expected number of no-shows on the Saturday – a pattern common at free ticketed events nationally, where people reserve a place but don't ultimately attend – meant organisers were able to release further tickets and welcome more people to the music stages on the Sunday.
Cllr John McNicholas, Coventry City Council’s Cabinet Member for Events, said: “This year we brought a taste of Godiva into the city centre, with great talent and a celebration of Coventry creativity, all for free.
“We know a lot of local people are still feeling the pressure of the rising cost of living, so it was really important to us to put on a free event with something for everyone to enjoy.
“The event brought summer fun and entertainment to the city. Local bands and artists had a brilliant platform at Godiva Calling, and Godiva After Dark, in partnership with our hospitality sector, brought a real buzz into the evenings too.
“The free family activities were a huge hit, and it was fantastic to see so many local families out enjoying everything the city centre had to offer.
“Like many free ticketed events, we saw a number of people who'd reserved a ticket not attend on the day. That meant some performances didn't always have the crowd numbers we wanted or expected, and it's a lesson for us as we plan future events – including how we manage ticket allocation and reminders to make sure as many people as possible take up their place.
“But I don't want that one issue to overshadow a first Godiva in the City that delivered on so many levels, from the family activities to the buzz of Godiva After Dark.
"I'd encourage everyone who came along to tell us what they thought via our survey, so we can keep shaping Godiva into the event Coventry deserves."
