This weekend, not one but two brass band festivals will be taking place in the UK. Head to Ironbridge in Shropshire for a mix of scenery and sounds, or to County Durham for ten days of performances from lively street bands.
A showcase of brass at Ironbridge
The annual Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival will take place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July, showcasing some of the finest brass bands from Shropshire and the surrounding counties.
The Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival gives visitors the chance to enjoy more than 15 hours of brass band music for free. The event will be taking place on The Green at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron. There will be a bar and local food stalls, and visitors are welcome to bring a picnic with them.
The event is one of the largest, non-competitive brass band festivals in the country. Around ten different brass bands will play on each day of the festival, from 10am.
On the Saturday evening there will be a charity concert, featuring The TCTC Group Band and Wellington (Telford) Brass Band. The concert is open air, and guests can bring along a picnic to enjoy during the event, or enjoy the onsite refreshments. Tickets for the concert cost £5 (free for children under 14 years), and the proceeds will go to Severn Hospice.
More info: www.ironbridgebandfestival.co.uk
Street performances at Durham Brass
County Durham’s loudest festival is back this month, with bands and musicians heading to the region for a ten-day celebration of all things brass.
This year’s Durham Brass festival will take place from Friday 12th to Sunday 21st July with a Street Ceilidh and street bands performing, a Brass Oktoberfest event, a Global Jam Session, a Big Brass Party and a British Trombone Society Day.
The ever popular streets of brass will return to Durham City, whilst parks and schools across the county will host Big Brass Bash events, where revellers can enjoy a party atmosphere with the ever-popular street bands.
Durham’s Brass festival sets out to change perceptions about brass music and develop new audiences through demonstrating the breadth and creativity of brass in music. The festival has a strong focus on new commissions and collaborative work, and encompasses brass-inspired performances from a range of musical genres including jazz, blues, rock, pop, indie, traditional and classical.
More info: www.brassfestival.co.uk