Your visit to Random String Festival

Where do I go?

The trail starts at Leicester Row Car Park alongside the Foleshill Road (opposite Halfords). From here you will be shown onto the canal towpath in groups. The trail takes you along the towpath up to the pedestrian bridge at Electric Wharf and you return back along the canal side to Coventry Canal Basin where the trail ends.

On Foot

If travelling from the city centre, you can get to the festival start either by crossing the pedestrian bridge from Bishop Street, or via the pedestrian crossings under the ring road from Upper Well Street. We’ll have stewards and welcome staff to help you find us if you’re not familiar with the canal corridor.

By Car

We have arranged free parking at the Gurdwara GNP’s car park on the corner of Harnall Lane and Foleshill Road. If the Festival car park is full, we recommend that you park at Pay & Display car parks on Tower Street or Belgrade Plaza.

There is very limited roadside metered parking available on St Nicholas Street and Draper’s Fields. Please do not attempt to park on other non-metered residential streets nearby or use the metered parking on Leicester Row as these areas may get very busy during the festival.

Map will be provided soon.

How busy will it be?

Audiences will be released onto the trail in small groups of 6-10, with gaps in between groups to control social distancing and to give the best experience to all visitors. If you book in a group smaller than this, you might be released together with other audience members. Why not book together with friends or family so you can experience the trail as a unique shared moment.

Is this suitable for children?

Absolutely! The content is suitable for all ages; in fact some of the artworks have been co-created with children.

Please bear in mind that the trail is by water, at night and children should be supervised at all times. During the first few slots each day, the light will be more dusky (rather than the full darkness of night) and you might choose to come during these times if you have very small or anxious children.

How long does it take to complete the trail?

We expect most people to complete the trail in 45-60 mins. The route is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs although there is one section where the path narrows to 80cm and there are some uneven surfaces. If you have access needs that would impact on your ability to move around the trail, please let us know. 

What do I need to bring with me?

For a small section of the trail there is the option to listen to a piece of music specially commissioned by artists Crewdson & Cevanne. To do this, you will need to bring a smartphone and your own pair of headphones to listen. We’ll provide a link to play the music on the evening. This element is an added bonus for one section of the trail and we promise the overall experience will be great even if you can’t bring these along.

Please try to avoid bringing large golf umbrellas or other bulky bags and accessories and the towpath gets a little narrow in places.

What about the weather?

This is an outdoor event at night by water in November. There’s a good chance it’ll be cold and possibly raining. Please make sure that you dress in comfortable, warm clothing suitable for walking. 

In the event of severe weather conditions, we may have to cancel or pause the event. You will have the option to rebook for another night or have a refund. 

What about toilets?

There will be a fully accessible toilet with baby changing facilities halfway round the route. 

Will there be any refreshments?

We will have hot food and drinks on sale at the Canal Basin site at the end of the trail. Why not also consider booking a table for a sit-down meal at Playwrights Cafe to extend your visit to the canal basin?

What else is happening beyond the trail?

Each night following the trail, we will be hosting a small programme of performances and sharings of artworks in progress. These early experiments and interventions can be seen in the central section of the Canal Basin and have been produced by commissioned artists, friends and neighbours of Ludic Rooms.

We will be publishing the full programme for each night on randomstring.co closer to the time. Subject to capacity, you can attend these activities for free without taking part in the trail or booking on any night.

How can I find out more about the artworks and the artists?

We don’t want to give away all the surprises and secrets but make sure you follow us on social media @ludicrooms where we’ll be posting behind the scenes in the build up. 

 We are supporting a special edition of Secret Knock Zine which includes a map of the trail, interviews and features on RS artists. You can pick up a free copy of Secret Knock in Coventry city centre independent shops and cafes, or subscribe to receive issues straight to your door.

We hope you enjoy a unique night out with sensational light and visual displays along the Coventry Canal with Random String Festival!