The World Heritage River Festival (Photo: Mark Loudon)
When: 17th September 2016
Where: Ironbridge, Shropshire
£: Free
What is it?
The World Heritage River Festival will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ironbridge Gorge becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Saturday 17th September.
There will be activities and events throughout the day, rounding off with the Severn Fire and Light Flotilla. The events will be based at the Iron Bridge, Market Square, on The Wharfage, and at Dale End Park.
At the Iron Bridge and Market Square there will be demonstrations, talks, walks, and free entry to the Tollhouse. On The Wharfage there will be street entertainers, musicians, and performers. Billy the Steam Engine will also be on The Wharfage, posing for photos.
Dale End Park will have family entertainment including a vintage fair, rides, acoustic music, arts and crafts activities, and Wildlife Trust activities. There will also be a rivers walk, food and drink, and free admission to the Museum of the Gorge.
The festival promises to have a magical finale with the Severn Fire and Light Flotilla. The flotilla will sail from Ironbridge Rowing Club at about 7.30pm and finish at the Iron Bridge itself. It will be put on by outdoor arts experts Walk The Plank.
Canoes light up the water (Photo: Mark Loudon)
Illuminated boats and performers will set the River Severn ablaze with colour and light. Visitors should expect spinning coracles, pyrotechnic canoes blasting out flames, colourful rowing boats, rafts, musicians and a pirate ship with a difference.
Viewing areas will be set up in Dale End Park and along The Wharfage and stewards will be on hand to direct people. There will be allocated disabled viewing next to the Ironbridge Rowing Club and a limited number of disabled viewing spaces next to the Museum of the Gorge.
The public are advised to use public transport links to and from the event. Parking will be available at Ironbridge Park and Ride, this service will run every 12 minutes. This increases to a bus every four minutes later on, with the last bus returning from the Museum of the Gorge at 9.30pm. There is also a Park and Ride service from Blists Hill.
Outdoor arts experts Walk The Plank have an impressive portfolio of operating flame and pyrotechnic shows on water, including the Mersey River Festival, Henley River Festival, Greenwich and Docklands Festival, the Manchester Ship Canal Centenary and Sound To Sea Commonwealth Games.
The Discover Telford event is one of three major events in Telford and Wrekin that are part of the Festival Telford programme, all made possible by funding from Arts Council England.
More info: www.facebook.com/whriverfestival and www.discovertelford.co.uk