|
Preparations to host a prestigious national canal festival in Wolverhampton have begun in earnest this week.
The three-day 'Black Country Waterways Festival' will be held at Pendeford Park, Blaydon Road on August Bank Holiday weekend (AUG 23 to 25) and promises to be a great day out for all the family.
Thousands of visitors are expected to attend this annual festival, which is hosted by the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) and is held in a different location each year. This event is run by volunteers, and surplus money raised goes towards waterway restoration projects.
Councillor Paddy Bradley, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise said:" Wolverhampton City Council is delighted to be supporting the Inland Waterways Association with their annual festival, and it gives us the opportunity to showcase all that our vibrant city has to offer visitors from all over the country.
"We hope as many local people as possible will visit the festival and enjoy an exciting Bank Holiday experience, which will once again put Wolverhampton firmly on the map as a destination of choice for nationally celebrated events such as this."
Ian West, Chairman of the IWA Festivals Committee said:" We are delighted to be holding this year's festival at Autherley Junction in Wolverhampton. There are now so few sites available in the Birmingham Canal Navigation or the West Midlands - the heart of the inland waterway system - that are capable of accommodating our national festival, the car parks and the camp site.
"Pendeford Park is a very pretty site in an urban area and it is adjacent to the Black Country waterways which played such a significant part in Britain's industrial revolution.
"Wolverhampton City Council, local businesses and the community have also worked hard to support us and it should be an excellent show."
The event will include great entertainment for people of all ages, including live jazz and folk music, street dancing demonstrations, exciting activities for children including the circus skills workshop with clowns, stilt walking and juggling, a Victorian funfair, storytelling and Wild Over Waterways activities such as traditional plate painting, brick-laying and knot tying.
Children under 16 accompanied by an adult get in free. Tickets can be bought in advance at £6.50 (or £7.50 on the day), concessions £5.50 (or £6.50 on the day).
Advance tickets can be purchased from the Visitor Information Centre in Queen Square, Wolverhampton or by calling the Inland Waterways Association on 01923 711 114, and include the opportunity to win a fabulous waterways family holiday on a luxury narrow-boat, courtesy of UK Boat Hire.
There will be 25 historic workboats on show along with new boats to view and all sorts of equipment and accessories for boats to buy, hundreds of exhibitors, stalls and novelty stands, and a superb food court with over 40 real ales.
People will be able to test their goal scoring skills against ex-professional players in the Great Football Speed Challenge, and watch the clever football jugglers.
Falconry experts will be mingling with the crowds so visitors will have the opportunity to see birds of prey close at hand.
Over 300 boats will be moored alongside the Shropshire Union Canal and the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, down to Aldersley Junction at the bottom of the Wolverhampton Flight. People will be able to take a trip up and down the canal to view these boats, many of which will be decorated with bunting and flowers and will include exhibition boats, historic working narrow-boats and horse drawn boats, all putting on a show, alongside visiting boats.
This National festival is organised by a team of volunteers and over 300 will be working during the Bank Holiday weekend to ensure everything goes smoothly. The IWA Festival team are always looking for more volunteers to help them run the Event. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should ring 0870 240 2438 for more details or visit www.waterways.org.uk.
Whilst preparations for this National festival get underway, access to some public areas on Pendeford Park may be restricted for health and safety reasons. The IWA and Wolverhampton City Council apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. For any enquiries about the site, please contact the IWA on 07771804826 or from August 14 onwards contact the site office on 01902 788288. |
