£56,000 grant ensures events galore for Telford

The money, from Arts Council England, will be used to fund events throughout the year.

Most of the funding will go towards Telford's Carnival of Giants on July 16, T Picnic in Telford Town Park on September 3 and a River Festival on the River Severn in Ironbridge on September 17.

However, it will also help to put on even more activities in the borough throughout the summer and autumn.

Councillor Liz Clare, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for leisure services and culture, said: "We are very grateful to Arts Council England for having the vision to support us with funding which means our original programme of events will be greatly enhanced.

"It enables us to offer a lot more for residents and visitors alike to enjoy – Telford is definitely the place to be."

The next event is on the evening of April 21 when a beacon will be lit at Southwater to mark the Queen's 90th birthday as part of a national trail of over 1,000 beacons nationwide, with Her Majesty lighting the principal beacon at Windsor Castle.

The Abraham Darby Band will play at this event which will be attended by councillors, representatives of the Lord Lieutenant's office, the Royal British Legion and other dignitaries.

May 30 will see the return of the drive-in movie when film fans can watch Despicable Me 2, Dirty Dancing or Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The Carnival of Giants, the first event to benefit from the funding will take place for the second year on June 16, with a parade of giant creatures heading to Southwater led by a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The 'Telfood Feastival', a first for Telford, takes place on July 30 and Sunday July 31 will see over 130 local, home-grown exhibitors from across the region come for a weekend of foodie fun.

September 3 sees the Town Park host T Picnic – a world picnic and music day, celebrating world cultures and food with music and dance. The following day, Sunday September 4, sees a first for the town when it hosts its first Kite Festival in Telford Town Park.

There will be pop up kite making workshops in the lead up to it and the day itself will see the air filled with colourful kites.

The third event to benefit directly from funding from Arts Council England will be the new River Festival, which will incorporate the annual World Heritage Festival, in Ironbridge on September 17.

This will showcase 30 years of the Ironbridge Gorge being a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The council's arts team will be working with internationally recognised art companies to create a unique spectacle in the Gorge.

Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for customer services, said: "We have already made a fantastic start to the 2016 events calendar with the community day in Ironbridge and the hugely successful Spring Into The Park event.

"Going forward we have an action packed few months of spring, summer and autumn events lined up. Our aim is to create a series of vibrant and exciting events, showcasing the culture and diversity that Telford has to offer.

A busy 2016 kicked off earlier this month with Spring Into The Park – a celebration of Telford Town Park being voted the best park in the UK in the Fields In Trust awards.

Thomas The Tank Engine and the Fat Controller were the star attractions at the event which was attended by more than 3,500 people.