Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust’s ‘Over Festival on the Canal 2014’ was the most successful yet.
The annual ‘Over Festival on the Canal’ was the largest so far. The site including the canal basin at Over, was visited by more than 1000 people to savour and discover and enjoy the wide variety of attractions in near perfect weather. The site is also the head office of the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust and Visitor Centre at The Wharf House, the AA-Red Rosette-awarded Restaurant with Rooms.
Entrance to the Festival was free, for all to enjoy the usual sideshows and stalls associated with a family fun day out. There was obviously a watery theme, enhanced by visitor participation with a Model Boat regatta, Fire Brigade displays and canoeing and kayaking. The Canal Trust’s own heritage boats provided tours of the canal to Vineyard Hill. This year included the addition of Shetland ponies to provide rides for children, circus skills and other attractions in partnership with the Scout Network.
There were large marquees housing a range of local produce and crafts for sale, including local beers, cider and perry. There was the largest programme to date of live music on the river terrace with The Wharf House providing refreshments of Tapas and a hugely successful Beer Festival.
For everyone there the message of canal restoration through Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust was implicit everywhere.
Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust is grateful for the generous support of Gloucester Quays and the Gloucestershire Network of Scouts in mounting this Festival.
View Event Photo Gallery…
The Festival next year will be held on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August 2015.
Over Festival 2017 Report – Volunteer Jenny Birkett reports on her first Over Festival experience….
..being a new volunteer, I was impressed to see how the volunteers got on with our jobs in good humour. After Friday’s preparation it was great to see the Festival take shape on Saturday morning in time for the visitors.
My role was to help in the refreshment tent very ably organised by Margaret. The donated cakes just appeared, and I soon got into the team effort providing cuppas and cake. Maggie asked me to take some photos too, so I could excuse myself from the washing up and enjoy what was going on around the site.
The weather was kind, so our visitors were able to enjoy all the Festival had to offer, relaxing by the water, listening to music, watching the model boats, the trip boats and a lively demonstration by the Gloucestershire Fire Service Search and Rescue team.
I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the volunteer team, which by working together created a very successful event.
GB
