Contraband Helps Oxford Street Celebrate In Style
Saturday the 1st October 2005 saw Oxford Street closed to traffic for the first time in its history. In response to recent terrorist attacks, the capital’s retail outlets and Ken Livingston pooled together to encourage shoppers back onto the city streets and into the stores.

From 10am onwards, Oxford Street and Regent Street were alive with street performers, bands, dancers, cheerleaders, face painters, balloon modellers and much more. Heart FM hosted a stage, Lemar performed at M&S and Charlotte Church sang at Selfridges. A human mobile consisting of live drummers and aerial silk performers hung over the street whilst Asian bagpipers marched up the road! It really was a spectacle to behold.

It wasn’t just the street itself that was in festival mode – retailers themselves hosted entertainment in-store. Contraband International provided many stores with entertainment up and down the street – funfair rides at Selfridges, chocolate fountains, manicurists, jugglers, massage therapists, a caricaturist, jazz and string musicians at Marks and Spencer and much more at John Lewis.

Contraband’s debut into on the day event management saw us jumping in at the deep end at John Lewis. Across 6 floors the store housed entertainment of all kinds. The store itself provided arts and crafts workshops, make-overs, competition give-aways, Storm Troopers, Barbie characters, string musicians and more. Alongside this, Contraband provided a host of performers both inside and out on the street at front of store.

Poles Apart were the hit of the day, wowing crowds with their unusual musical act on stilts. Jugglers and stilt walkers entertained passers by whilst Dean Ager schmoozed the ladies in store with his rat pack tribute. In the children’s department, the little ones (and some not so little) enjoyed the delights of balloon modellers and face painters whilst chatting to Barbie and posing with Darth Vader.

The smooth sounds of Kai Hoffman’s delectable jazz delighted customers on the 5th floor whilst Jazz 251 created a lounge feel in fabrics and furnishings. Wondering minstrels serenaded guests on the ground floor, and a magician and jugglers amazed passers by both on the street and throughout the ground floor with their amazing tricks and talents.

Both staff and customers had a fantastic day and enquiries are already flooding in to book performers for Christmas…

For more amazing pictures, visit their where their paparazzi photographers have uploaded the days events!

www.contrabandevents.com/johnlewisoxfordst.html