AUTUMN IS QUEER
And Coventry Loves You As You Are.
WE TURNED BACK TIME:
[By one hour]
On Sunday 25 October 2026 [when the clocks ‘Turned Back Time’] - the heart of Coventry became “Cher-ventry” as Cher The News filled West Orchards Shopping Centre with music, head-dresses, choreography and bold joy. The takeover - a flagship moment of the city’s Autumn Is Queer festival - used a knowingly silly premise to deliver an unmistakably serious message: Coventry loves you as you are.
Across the afternoon, the shopping centre was reinvented as a stage for local talent and everyday people. The Big Cher-formance brought a community cast together with musicians and performers; pop-up moments, live brass, interactive headdress-making and a Cher-themed movement session invited visitors not just to watch, but to join in.
More than 60 people were involved in bringing the event to life. Nine City Hosts helped connect audiences across generations, while visitors from Slovenia’s Mladinsko Theatre travelled especially to witness this celebration. West Orchards Shopping Centre reported a 37% increase in shopping-centre footfall during the activity period - a striking additional dimension to an event rooted in creative expression rather than a conventional retail promotion.
