Summary

  • Coventry Moves celebrates the start of the city's term as UK City of Culture

  • Events moving across the city throughout the day

  • Culminates in a special performance at 20:21

  • Live updates on Saturday 5 June

  1. 'It's not just Beyonce that can dance in heels'published at 17:38 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    The motorcade has now ended for the day, but there are more surprises in store.

    Shaun Cope said it had been "absolutely fantastic" to be part of the experience.

    "People came out from their windows and from the shops to support the people of Coventry," he said.

    Shaun Cope and Maureen

    "I choreographed the Ska section - and all the dancers, including Maureen here, have been absolutely fantastic.

    "I'm old school, it's all about the heels," added Maureen.

    "It's not just Beyonce that can dance in heels!

    "It's been a fantastic day, we've been to lots of different areas, and people and kids have come out and they've danced, and everyone's got involved.

  2. Cycle peloton surprising communitiespublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Three of the custom-made trikes in today's bicycle peloton are being ridden by local amateur boxer Jess Barry, ex Coventry City player Dave Bennett and the city's cycle mayor Adam Tranter.

    The rest of the crew is made up of local cycling enthusiasts.

    Media caption,

    Cycle peloton surprises community

  3. Modern-day Godivas on the movepublished at 17:08 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    There will be 14 modern-day Lady Godivas taking part in today's celebration, and some of them are on the move.

    These images were captured in the Tile Hill area.

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  4. Party atmosphere along the car cavalcade routepublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    The cavalcade is coming to an end and in case you missed it, here's a flavour of what's been going on around Coventry.

    Media caption,

    Coventry Moves: Party atmosphere for the car cavalcade

    The classic cars have been visiting streets, many of which have links to Coventry's car manufacturing heritage.

    Media caption,

    Party atmosphere with the Coventry Moves car cavalcade

    At each location on the route, dancers have been bursting out of the vehicles performing Irish, Ska and Bollywood dance sequences to a soundtrack created by Punjabi MC.

  5. Meet the 'energies': Social Justice depicted by Sue Bentpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Sue Bent is the chief executive of Central England Law Centre, a Coventry-based charity that employs solicitors and advisors to provide free, independent advice and representation.

    Sue BentImage source, Joe Bailey/FiveSixPhotography

    The spirit of social justice continues to "resonate through the evolution of the city," said event organisers.

    From Lady Godiva, riding through the streets to prevent increasing taxation of the poor, to the "workers movements associated with the factories and workshops, or the democratisation movement throughout the globe that came with the mass-production bicycles in the city."

  6. 'Words can't describe how proud I am'published at 16:44 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Keely Spain is one of the Irish dancers today, and dad Brendon told Brody Swain on BBC CWR how proud he was of his daughter.

    "Words can't really describe it," he said.

    Irish dancersImage source, PA Media

    "We've known that this has been coming up for a while - Keely and them all - they've been putting in a lot of hours practicing.

    "I've just watched the video on the Coventry Moves website, and wow, it's emotional," he said, "it really got me going.

    "And she's not even in that group, she's in the other group - I don't know how I'm going to feel when I see her later on."

  7. Dancing for Coventry has 'been so much fun'published at 16:30 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Dancer Kajal (not pictured) called BBC Radio CWR to say how much the performers have enjoyed themselves today.

    DancersImage source, PA Media

    "It's been such an amazing opportunity to be part of something so big," she said. "And seeing all the cultures coming together"

    There was Bollywood, Caribbean and Irish dancing as part of a procession of classic cars around the city.

    "It has been really hot, but luckily we've been in the car for a lot of it," Kajal added. "It's been so much fun."

  8. Lady Godivas: 'I was quite daunted at first'published at 16:14 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    There's still much more to come from Coventry Moves, including a parade by 14 modern-day Lady Godivas.

    The women have been training to ride horses for the event later today.

    Media caption,

    Coventry's modern-day Godivas

    One of them is Kirsty Brewerton, a clinical sister for the NHS, who said she has been "buzzing" watching the launch events.

    "I was quite daunted to start off with," she said. "When we first got the email saying we were going to have to ride a horse I was like, 'Oh my God' - I'm not horsey at all."

    She couldn't give much away, but said she was really looking forward to the event with her horse, Toby, who she said "is going to want to get on with it".

  9. 'We need to start appreciating each other'published at 16:02 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Artist and designer Daniel Lismore says the city of Coventry has become a more tolerant place.

    Growing up in nearby village of Filliongley, he recounts being bullied as a child.

    "We need to start appreciating each other," he said, "and I hope the City of Culture does that."

    Media caption,

    Coventry Moves: Daniel Lismore as the city's innovation

  10. 'We didn't expect it to come to us'published at 15:52 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Neighbours Esther Larkin and Lorraine Caulfield live on Mayflower Drive and were caught off guard when the motorcade passed through.

    "I was sanding a desk I'm doing up and then I just heard all this music," Ms Caulfield said. "I thought, what on earth's going on?

    "I hadn't seen anything about it, but it was fascinating."

    Esther Larkin and Lorraine Caulfield

    "It's a nice surpise, we didn't expect them to come to us," Ms Larkin said. "We thought it would all be in town."

    Organisers promised a city-wide event, aiming to involve as much of Coventry as possible.

  11. Punjabi MC soundtrack to the daypublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Punjabi MC has created the soundtrack to today's motor cavalcade, which involves Irish, Ska and Bollywood dance sequences.

    Motofest has provided 40 vehicles, and their drivers, with nine classic and heritage cars coming from Jaguar Land Rover, and two electric taxis from the London Electric Vehicle Company based in the city.

    Media caption,

    Coventry Moves: Dancing in the streets

  12. Motorcade honours generations of car manufacturerspublished at 15:30 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Richard Williams
    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    Residents of Bagington Road were surprised when the motorcade passed through to give a dance performance.

    Resident celebrates as cavalcade drives through Coventry

    Residents stood on their doorstep to watch the procession - one woman said it was "fantastic".

    "It's really exciting because my dad worked in the car industry so it's really good that they're celebrating that today," she said.

    "There's a good tradition of car-making," she added - her father worked at Jaguar and her grandfather at Humber.

    "It's amazing for this to be outside the house."

  13. 'When I think of innovation I think of Coventry'published at 15:18 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Coventry has had a history of innovation, from watches and ribbons to modern manufacturing.

    This short film by the City of Culture team celebrates some of that history, starting with artist and designer Daniel Lismore.

    Media caption,

    Meet some of the people who have inspired the stories of Coventry Moves.

  14. Dancers helping to 'create a buzz'published at 15:09 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Creative dancer Marius Mates, who has choreographed some of today's performances says, scooter riders, bmx riders and parkour artists have all been involved.

    Marius Mates

    He said the pieces "try to evoke energy and evoke youthfulness - but as well leave a legacy for the future to showcase the city which is full of energy still".

    Ashley Jordan

    Ashley Jordan from Ascension Dance said he'd been working with Marius to "create a real buzz" around the event.

    "It's something that's going to be a lasting legacy for the city."

  15. 'The whole world can see Coventry's legacy'published at 14:50 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    The peloton earlier celebrated Coventry's role in the development of the modern bicycle.

    The Penny Farthing was invented in the city, while Starley's Rover safety bicycle is seen as one of the most important steps in the evolution of bikes.

    Coventry's bicycle mayor, Adam Tranter was one of the riders leading the peloton and argues the city's links shouldn't be forgotten.

    Media caption,

    Adam Tranter: The bicycle mayor of Coventry

  16. On the beat: Police officer has Coventry movespublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    This police officer gave a new meaning to being on the beat when the motorcade pulled around.

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    The PC joined the dancers as they performed for residents along the cavalcade's route through the city.

  17. Artist's costume 'sparkly and joyous'published at 14:23 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    One of the designers involved in Daniel Lismore's costume said it was looking "sparkly and joyous" in today's sunshine.

    Artist and designer Daniel Lismore, the Energy of InnovationImage source, PA Media

    Mr Lismore performed on top of the Coventry Telegraph building in the city centre for Coventry Moves.

    Designer Nicola Richardson, from Vortex, joked that the reflection of the glitter and glitz left her feeling like she'd had laser eye surgery.

    "Because it's just so gold, it was just reflecting off. It was sparkly and joyous, everything it should be, catching people's eye," she said.

    "Hoorah for today, what a wonderful celebration. It’s such a great city, there are such great people here."

  18. Meet the 'energies': Daniel Lismore as 'innovation'published at 14:13 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Artist Daniel Lismore, who uses his body as a living work of art, is representing the Coventry's spirit of innovation today.

    Daniel LismoreImage source, Joe Bailey/FiveSixPhotography

    The designer, who has presented his work in galleries across the globe, celebrates the city's role in historic innovations such as the jet engine and bicycle as well as methods of modern manufacturing.

    Quote Message

    I grew up in Fillongley and Coventry which have meaningful, emotional and strong historical connections to me as an artist. My participation and curation will celebrate and display universal themes exploring the intersection between art, fashion, architecture, ancient and modern world cultures and haute couture.

    Daniel Lismore, Artist and designer

  19. 'It will put us in the spotlight'published at 14:04 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Richard Williams
    BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

    The Collins family have been watching the motorcade in Stoke Aldermoor.

    Collins Family

    Bernie, who's from the area but just visiting mum Ellie today, said it was steeped in motor history and remembers scenes from the Italian Job being filmed in the neighbourhood.

    "I was about 12 and we used to come down and watch it" she said.

    Mum Ellie (pictured far right) added that the City of Culture status "will be really good and put us in the spotlight".

  20. Beep beep - City of Culture coming throughpublished at 13:53 British Summer Time 5 June 2021

    Let's take a closer look at some of those classic cars representing Coventry's motoring history as they drive through the city for Coventry Moves.

    A fleet of cars built in Coventry burst with Bollywood, Caribbean and Irish dancers during Coventry MovesImage source, PA Media
    A fleet of cars built in Coventry burst with Bollywood, Caribbean and Irish dancers during Coventry MovesImage source, PA Media

    The two cavalcades of 20 cars each were filled with Irish, Bollywood and Caribbean dancers who would burst from the vehicles for performances in streets along the route.

    A fleet of cars built in Coventry burst with Bollywood, Caribbean and Irish dancers during Coventry MovesImage source, PA Media
    A fleet of cars built in Coventry burst with Bollywood, Caribbean and Irish dancers during Coventry MovesImage source, PA Media
    A fleet of cars built in Coventry burst with Bollywood, Caribbean and Irish dancers during Coventry MovesImage source, PA Media

    The cars, which were provided by Coventry Motofest, were all built in Coventry from the 1950s onwards.

    The dancers were chosen to represent the region’s Irish, South Asian, and Carribean communities.