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Loughborough Canal Festival Preparation Underway
Posted on 12/04/2008
Rhys
Latest Canal Festival News
Preparations are going on apace behind the scenes for the 2008 Loughborough Canal and Boat Festival.
Loughborough Wharf and the canal northwards past the industrial estate was originally built in 1778, with the section from 
Canal Bridge to Leicester being built a few years later.
The festival, the largest of its kind in the Midlands, has been running each year since 1997 (with the exception of 2002 because of Foot and Mouth). It typically attracts 10,000s of visitors over the weekend. Originally it was started as a protest to road improvements by the Council at the junction of Bridge street and Derby Road. The protests were taken up with the help of the Loughborough Echo. The organizer Mick Clowes dreamt up the idea of a festival as a way of protest, and a very successful one - as the result of which was the amended road plan. Mick said: “Once the road plan was amended to miss the wharf, I thought that was it but had forgotten that these boaters like a good time. I was inundated with requests to do 
it all again the following year and, as they say, the rest is history.”
The Mayor of Charnwood will open the event this years festival which is free for all over the weekend of the Saturday 3rd May and Sunday 4th May
There are plans to have a water taxi on site and boat trips in specially adapted boats to enable access for people with disabilities. Many stalls promoting a wide range of crafts from wooden flowers, hand made glass and encaustic arts to textiles, jewellery and other hand made goods.
However this year the intention isn’t to end there. Visitors should be able to enjoy vintage vehicles, a model boat display, Punch and Judy, entertainment from Bill Brookman, maypole dancing (hopefully not too close to the towpath edge) and a Sea Scout water display.
As last year there will also be plenty of charity stalls supporting a range of good causes such as the Air Ambulance and LOROS, as well as refreshments including traditional tasties such as fudge, candy floss, chocolate covered fruit, home-made cakes together with ice cream, pancakes, pasties and of course hot dogs and chips.
Hopefully this year the illuminated flotilla of boats will travel along the canal on the Saturday night now that the Loughborough Wharf development is complete.
Pictures from last years event are in the Loughborough Canal Festival Album.
Latest Canal Festival News