A free festival of brass in Shropshire

When: 13th & 14th July 2013

Where: The Green at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, Shropshire

£: Free.  Tickets for the charity gala concert on Saturday 13th July (in support of Severn Hospice) are £10 each.  Book in advance online at www.ironbridgebandfestival.co.uk.

What is it?

The popular Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival takes place over the weekend of 13th and 14th July outdoors on The Green at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron.  Now in its ninth year, this free family event showcases some of the finest brass bands from Shropshire and the surrounding counties .  It is the largest, non-competitive brass band festival in the country.

The festival will feature 16 brass bands including the Jackfield Elcock Reisen Band, the Jaguar Landrover Band, the Abraham Darby Brass Band, Wem Jubilee Brass Band, Cleobury Mortimer Brass Band, Llangollen Silver Band, City of Wolverhampton Brass Band, Black Country Brass Band, Shropshire Youth Band, Wrekin Brass, Shrewsbury Brass Band, Wellington Brass Band, Newport Town Band, Salopian Brass and Crewe Brass Band.

Neil Fury, Chairman, said: “This year’s festival looks like being even bigger and better. It’s thanks to our sponsors and volunteers that the festival is such a success and it couldn’t take place without the support and enthusiasm of the local community and the wonderful bands, which all perform their amazing music free of charge.  We are hoping to break our target of attracting over 4,000 visitors over the weekend.”

Admission to the daytime festival is free and it takes place in a beautiful setting on The Green at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron (one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust’s ten award-winning museums).

On the Saturday evening a ticketed charity gala concert will take place.  This will feature a selection of well-loved musical compositions.  The concert will feature the Jackfield Elcock Reisen Band, the Jaguar Landrover Band and Helen E May, mezzo soprano.  All proceeds will be donated to the Severn Hospice.

More info: Visit www.ironbridgebandfestival.co.uk or follow the festival on twitter.