Many COUNT ME IN events have been granted the London 2012 Inspire Mark, recognising excellence and opportunity inspired through the Games. Events range from performances by young emerging bands through to free two hour concerts performed on bandstands around the region.

Dinosaurs Not Allowed
Dinosaurs Not Allowed will provide a visually spectacular fresh perspective on Morris Dancing. Almost 200 dancers from across the South West will take to the floor in a mass participation event, open to all - held in three venues in Weymouth. Dancers aged from 8 – 25 will form six separate teams in a massed display. Performances will take place in Weymouth on Saturday 26th September between 11.00am and 3.30pm at St Mary Street, St Thomas St, Hope Square and at the Esplanade. For further information please phone 07779 257 096.

Other COUNT ME IN activities:

COUNT ME IN
COUNT ME IN is a new annual event marking the countdown to the London 2012 Games by providing new opportunities for local people and tourists to experience high quality arts and culture over a dedicated weekend of celebration and participation.

Richard Crowe, London 2012 Creative Programmer and COUNT ME IN creator explains: "COUNT ME IN is using the power of the London 2012 Games to provide new opportunities and develop a lasting legacy of benefit for the region. COUNT ME IN enables people to not only celebrate the countdown to the Games but also to develop a high profile, nationally significant, cultural weekend across the South West. It will develop beyond the Games and become a permanent fixture on the cultural calendar, extending the summer tourist season by providing stand out opportunities over the crucial end of season period.

"Being granted the prestigious Inspire Mark, provided by London 2012 for excellence, recognises the quality of the events we're staging and provides a tremendous platform from which we can develop COUNT ME IN over the next couple of years and beyond."

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+44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog or follow us on Twitter

Press Contacts
Kallaway
William Kallaway, 020 7221 7883, william@kallaway.co.uk
Emma Lawson, 020 7221 7883, emma.lawson@kallaway.co.uk

Notes to editors:

About the London 2012 Inspire programme
The Inspire programme is run by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is an opportunity for everyone to be a part of the London 2012 Games – a broad participation programme spanning sport participation, education, sustainability, volunteering, and business opportunities & skills. New opportunities are being created to inspire young people and encourage the whole of the UK to join in.

The Bandstand Marathon
The Bandstand Marathon is a national celebration of music performed by local musicians in their local cities, towns and villages. The events start at 2pm on Sunday 27 September - venues in the South West are listed below.

The Square - Barnstaple - South Molton Town Band
Royal Victoria Park - Bath - Bath Spa Band
Woodhouse Gardens - Blandford - Stour Valley Band
Pinewalk Bandstand - Bournemouth - Bournemouth & District Concert Band
Blake Gardens - Bridgwater - Taunton Concert Band
Castle Park - Bristol - City of Bristol Brass Band
Old Fish Market - Brixham - Totnes Band incorporating TT Brass
Bucky Doo Square - Bridport (26th September) - St Swithun's Band
Castle Grounds - Bude - Bude Town Band
Manor Gardens - Burnham on Sea - Burnham & Highbridge Town Band
Enfield Park - Camelford - Camelford Town Band
Montpellier Gardens - Cheltenham - Cheltenham Silver Band
John Cole Park - Chippenham - Chippenham Town Band
The Quay - Christchurch - Christchurch & Highcliffe Brass Band
The Abbey Grounds - Cirencester - Cirencester Town Band
The Seafront - Clevedon - Clevedon Brass Band
Newcombes Meadow - Crediton - Crediton Town Band
The Quay - Dartmouth - Spectrum Music
The Lawn - Dawlish - Torbay Brass Band
Borough Gardens - Dorchester - Durnovaria Silver Band
The Mediterranean Biome - The Eden Project - Hoover the Dog
Northernhay Gardens - Exeter - Honiton Brass Band
Manor Gardens - Exmouth - Exmouth Town Concert Band
Gyllyngdune Gardens - Falmouth - Illumination Brass
Victoria Park - Frome - Frome Town Youth Band
Gloucester Park - Gloucester - Frampton on Severn Band & The Gloucester Salvation Army Band
The Market Square, St Peter Port - Guernsey - Guernsey Concert Brass
Runnymeade Gardens - Ilfracombe - Bideford Town Band
Town Square - Kingsbridge - Kingsbridge Community College Samba Band
Marine Parade - Lyme Regis - Chard Concert Brass
Blenheim Gardens - Minehead - West Somerset Brass Band
Courtenay Park - Newton Abbot (26 September) - Newton Abbot & District Band
Simmons Park - Okehampton - Okehampton Excelsior Silver Band
Morrab Gardens - Penzance - Hayle Town Band
Sundial Square - Plymouth - Soundhouse Brass
The Fish Shambles - Poole - Ferndown Concert Brass
Victoria Park - Redruth - Illogan Sparnon Silver Band
Collet Park - Shepton Mallet - Musicians from Ansford School
Pageant Gardens - Sherborne - Wincanton Silver Band
Connaught Gardens - Sidmouth - Sidmouth Town Band
West Pier - St Ives - Gweek Silver Band
Stratford Park - Stroud - Nailsworth Silver Band
Mermond Place - Swanage - Swanage Town Band
Old Town Gardens - Swindon - Phoenix Brass Band
The Riverside - Taunton - Live 'n' Up
The Meadows - Tavistock - Stannary Brass Band
West Exe Park - Tiverton - Tiverton Town Band
Victoria Gardens - Truro - Redruth Town Band
Warminster Park - Lake Pleasure Gardens - Warminster - Warminster Brass Band
Wellington Park - Wellington - Wiveliscombe Town Band
Bishops Barn - Wells - Wells City Band
Grove Park - Weston super Mare - Weston Brass
The Jubilee Clock - Weymouth - Weymouth Concert Brass
The Quedam Centre - Yeovil - Yeovil Town Band

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
As it heads towards its £2bn budget for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LOCOG has six domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are four domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, Cadbury, Cisco and Deloitte. There are now eleven domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, Crystal CG, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Holiday Inn, McCann Worldgroup, The Nielsen Company, Populous, Ticketmaster and Trident.

The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for London 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.

• Teenage Rampage: A tour of the South West for two top bands, The Naturals and The Orkid, taking place in Bristol, Plymouth and Cornwall over the 26th and 27th September. The tour will be supported by professionals and apprentice tour managers and will be filmed by BBC Blast. Teenage Rampage has been granted a London 2012 Inspire Mark. For a full list of participating bands and venues please visit www.myspace.com/teenagerampageuk
• Bandstand Marathon: over fifty separate two-hour concerts at bandstands across the region will be taking place over the weekend. Around 3,000 musicians are involved – including some of the bands from Teenage Rampage. The events all start at 2pm on Sunday 27 September and are listed below and at www.bandstandmarathon.org.uk
  Bandstand Marathon has been granted a London 2012 Inspire Mark.
• Bristol Do: A two-day festival including circus, music, performance, dance and games will take over the streets of Bristol. This mostly FREE festival will enable people to experience international quality arts groups including Ballet Boyz II and the creation of site specific work such as Rider Spoke – that invites the audience to cycle through the streets of Bristol equipped with a little computer to talk to! For a full programme of events please visit www.thebristoldo.com
• Urban Dance, Swindon: A contemporary dance spectacular will take place in front of the Live Site on 27 September, showcasing the very best local and regional dance talent and more. This free public event will feature films, performance, mass participation and dance. For more information please visit www.swindondance.org.uk

• Walk London's Autumn Ambles: Walk London’s Autumn Ambles take place over 26-27 September and features a series of nine walks called ‘Walking towards the Games’. The full schedule of walks is on the website: http://www.london2012.com/eventlistings/walk-london-autumn-ambles-weekend.php
• Bandstand Marathon: the Bandstand Marathon is a national celebration of music performed by local musicians in their local cities, towns and villages. The events start at 2pm on Sunday 27 September. For more information please visit: http://www.bandstandmarathon.org.uk/index.htm
• AND (Abandon Normal Devices) Festival: A brand new arts festival for the Northwest which takes place from 23 – 26 September. Three arts organisations – FACT, folly and Cornerhouse – have joined forces to create a dynamic 5 day programme for the inaugural AND festival. AND Festival launches in Liverpool in 2009, returning to the city biannually. On alternate years it will be hosted by Manchester, with a unique extended programme across Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire every April. http://www.london2012.com/eventlistings/abandon-normal-devices.php