The Brownhills Canal Festival proved to be as popular as ever, with thousands of people visiting Silver Street to enjoy the boats and other attractions.
This was the fourth year that Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust had arranged the festival, as a community event and to raise awareness of the positive impact that the Lichfield Canal will have on Brownhills and the wider Birmingham Canal Navigations, when it is completed.
There was something for everyone with twelve floating traders, five historic boats and thirty land traders, along with Ebony the Shire horse showing how horses would have towed narrowboats in the past.
Fortunately, Brownhills was outside the exclusion zone caused by the previous week’s 4,000-litre chemical spillage in the canal near Walsall so was not adversely impacted.
Christine Howles, LHCRT communications and marketing trustee said:
“This is one of my favourite events of the year as it’s one of the few times that you’ll see so many boats in Brownhills, and the local community really appreciates that. Everyone loves seeing the range of boats from the historic working boats, to the modern floating traders, which still transport goods around the country but to a very different market.
“It’s a fantastic community event but it also gives an opportunity to show how important the Lichfield Canal is to make it more accessible for boaters to get to Brownhills. Most of the boaters found it difficult to travel along the Wyrley and Essington Canal from Pelsall to Brownhills due to the amount of weed and dumped rubbish, including shopping trolleys and a freezer! Opening the Lichfield Canal will bring boats into Brownhills more regularly, keeping it clear of weed and creating a deterrent against dumping rubbish.”
Aldridge Brownhills MP Wendy Morton visited the festival, she said:
“I had a wonderful day at the Brownhills Canalside Festival. From the 90-year-old historic narrowboats, the working boats, the floating traders with a fabulous range of wares, and the vast selection of stalls and traders the canalside was buzzing.
“It was a great opportunity to catch up with representatives and friends from the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust who had organised the event and who continue to work as a charity towards the restoration of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals for the benefit of the community.”
Alan Buckle, of Star Crafts said:
“It has been great. The toxic spill did prevent a couple of historic boats making it but for two days we have had a great time. “This is one of the most popular festivals of the year because it is in the centre of the country.
“It’s a challenge to get here along the Curly Wyrley but it’s always worth my while and once the Lichfield Canal is open it will be so much easier.”
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