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The Rochdale Canal Festival 2011

Family Fun At Fortnight Long Canal Festival

The Rochdale Canal Festival 2011 kicks off with an exciting Launch Event at Sowerby Bridge at 11.00 on Saturday 13 August. Packed full of fun for all the family, the event signals the opening of the annual fortnight long Festival, which celebrates the amazing range of opportunities and activities that the historic canal has to offer.

At the opening event on Saturday 13 August Halifax Canoe Club will be running canoeing taster sessions and visitors can have a go at playing giant games with Groundwork or try some local food and drink. There will be a rare opportunity to see how a canal lock gate is made at Hargreaves Lock Gates factory, a horseboat will be on display and people can discover more about canal boating with the Rochdale Canal Society. The Moorings pub will also be providing a delicious barbeque.

A costumed masquerade, foraging for wild food, bug hunts, a lantern parade, horseboating, guided walks and bike rides are just a few of the other exciting events and activities on offer in Calderdale, Rochdale, Oldham and Manchester from 13 - 28 August.

Becky Liddell, Rochdale Canal Development Manager with The Waterways Trust, explains: “The Festival is a fantastic opportunity for people living in Calderdale, Rochdale, Oldham and Manchester to discover the Rochdale Canal and enjoy the many different activities that the waterway has to offer.
“The opening event at Sowerby Bridge will get the Festival off to a great start and provide a taste of things to come.”

An artist in residence will be travelling the Rochdale Canal aboard a narrowboat throughout the Festival period, stopping off at various sites along the 32 mile canal. For more details on this residency visit: www.andfestival.org.uk

The two-week long festival will culminate with a Festival Finale at Failsworth Canal Basin, Oldham at 11am on 28 August including canal boat making, a climbing wall, storytelling, wildlife activities, live entertainment and refreshments.

The full Festival programme can be found at: www.rochdalecanal.wordpress.com or www.thewaterwaystrust.org.uk