27^th -28^th September 2008

The first The first Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Festival was held in 2005 and its aim was raise local awareness and appreciation of the unique heritage of the Ironbridge Gorge. Each year, the Festival has gone from strength to strength and last year several thousand visitors, along with traders and entertainers, came together in the centre of Ironbridge to enjoy the stunning surroundings of the Gorge on a beautiful autumn day.

The 2008 Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Festival will be held in Ironbridge on Saturday 27 –  Sunday 28 September. The weekend is set to be an exciting and enjoyable time for residents, businesses and visitors as we celebrate the area’s unique heritage. Also, this year we have the added attraction of a light show, organised by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, to mark the regional launch of the Cultural Olympiad, and some of you will already have received details of this from IGMT.

The celebrations will kick off at dusk on the Friday when the Museum of the Gorge, the Iron Bridge and Bedlam Furnaces will be illuminated in an exciting and attractive display, which will be repeated on the Saturday evening. The light show will end at 10.00pm each evening.

On Saturday and Sunday, the World Heritage Festival will take place and this will involve a wide variety of entertainment, activities and displays. As a result of the recent flooding, the original plan to use Dale End Park for the Festival has had to change and the activities will now be focused on Dale End car park (Victorian Funfair), Merrythought (entertainment, stalls, art exhibition and displays) and The Wharfage (street market, on Saturday only). There will also be a Flower Festival and concerts in Jackfield Church. In addition, a major piece of public art, depicting the Iron Bridge and produced by an artist from Ironbridge working with local schoolchildren, will be on display during the event. More information about the event is available on www.ironbridgeheritagefestival.org.uk.

The Festival weekend is an important event for Ironbridge. It is an opportunity for the local community to enjoy a fun day on their doorstep; it will give a boost to local businesses and it will encourage more visitors to the area.

The Festival is organised by a partnership of local organisations and businesses and co-ordinated by Ken Toyne. The aim of the event is to raise local awareness and appreciation of the World Heritage Site and encouraging more people to enjoy the unique attractions that the area offers.

The main funders of the event are the European Regional Development Fund, Birse Civils and Telford & Wrekin Council.