ESS supplied the festival stage, hydraulic lifts, cable ramp, front of stage barrier and 2.3 km of crowd control for the MINI United event at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, from 22nd – 24th May 2009. 

Following on from the previous MINI United events held in Misano in 2005 and Zandvoort, 2007, for its 50th year celebrations, the world’s third MINI United event was held in the UK at Silverstone’s Formula One racecourse, where all previous major MINI anniversaries have been held, just 50km from Oxford where MINI started its life in 1959.   

The 3-day festival which fell on the May Bank Holiday brought together more than 25,000 MINI enthusiasts from across the globe for the event which comprised a music festival, fashion show and racing with the live music including, Paul Weller, Twisted Wheel, Calvin Harris and Fake Blood. 

A convoy of more that 30 MINIs made their way from Derby to Silverstone to mark the start of the event for which ESS supplied its 20m Orbit stage.

The stage was customised with white sheets and two platforms on either side which were raised by hydraulic lifts as part of the stage configuration to reveal the commemorative MINI. As standard the stage was waterproof to ensure weather did not affect the event and was removed once the event was complete without a trace.

Images Rob Brown