An entertainment specialist from Cumbria is enjoying its biggest year yet as it prepares to wow the crowds at major events across the country.

Explosive Productions, based in Carlisle, is owned by Sid Sims, who founded it 20 years ago, and produces shows which play everywhere from major West End theatres to famous racecourses.

The company’s success earned Explosive Productions the SME of Year Award at last year’s in-Cumbria Awards in November.

Originally from Newark, near Nottingham, Sid began his career as a Butlin’s redcoat in the late 1980s and came to Cumbria to work at the Oasis Lakeland Holiday Village, near Penrith, as its head of entertainment.

Oasis was purchased by Center Parcs in 2001, with Sid continuing to lead entertainment at the site for another three years.

As an experienced operator, Sid received regular requests to work on shows outside of his day job and decided to make the move to set up Explosive Productions in 2004.

“It was a big gamble but I wanted to have my own productions and do my own shows and take it to a wider market,” he says.

The business began life in incubator units at Redhills, near Penrith, staging shows at holiday parks and corporate events.

The company’s work grew to include cruise ships, as well as developing its 80's Live show, which now tours venues across the country every year, entertaining people with an array of hits from the decade.

It now operates from purpose-built premises at Kingmoor Park, Carlisle, complete with studios, sound and light equipment and providing everything from technical support and bespoke costume design to choreography.

The business employs five people in its head office team, with performers and technical staff working on a freelance basis.

“It’s entertainment solutions really, anything you can think of,” says Sid.

However, when the pandemic hit in 2020 it put an end to live entertainment overnight, with very little in the way of government support for performers.

"Everything just stopped and at that point we wondered whether it was ever going to come back," says Sid.

His fears were allayed as it became clear that fun-starved audiences were keen to let their hair down post-pandemic.

“We went from doing nothing to doing a hundred dates in a year,” says Sid, who is the ultimate creative director for Explosive Productions' own shows, taking to the stage himself to sing and MC.

So far in 2024 Explosive Productions has 150 shows booked, including for its 80’s Live and 90’s Live shows, with Sid expecting this to rise to 200 to make it the company’s biggest year ever.

The company also puts on private performances for corporate events, as well as its annual Christmas Live show at Doncaster Racecourse, “the biggest Christmas party in Yorkshire”, attracting up to 2,000 people a night.

It has expanded into producing entertainment at large outdoor events, booking acts and supplying the stage, sound system and everything else at venues including major race courses, such as Royal Windsor, Lingfield Park, in Surrey, and the St Leger Festival, Doncaster.

At Royal Windsor the business is booking DJs Vernon Kay, Chris Moyles and Sara Cox to play on its stage, performing to crowds of up to 5,000.

“It’s absolutely fantastic, the company is in the best position it's ever been in,” says Sid.

“This will be our busiest year and certainly our most high profile.”