Shiver me timbers - Shrewsbury River Festival's a success
Organisers of this year's Shrewsbury River Festival have said it is a glowing memorial to its founder who died in 2013.
The event, which was held on Sunday was a huge success, with thousands of people attending while a number of boats took to the water.
Graham Galliers was a driving force for the festival, which this year had a pirate theme.
Under blazing skies, approximately 7,000 flocked to the Quarry to watch the watery spectacle.
After torrential rain the previous evening, which hampered pitch marking, almost cloudless, sunny sky greeted the organisers at 6am in the morning.
Jane Price, festival secretary said: “Graham would have been overjoyed to see this year’s river festival. Not only did we have such beautiful weather, it was wonderful to see so many activities on the Severn and families enjoying picnics in the Quarry.”
Chairman Kaz Burgoyne added: “I think this has probably been one of the best – if not the best – festival yet.
"With a packed programme, there was a real sense of local community involvement, including – for the first time – individual event sponsorship from Rybrook Shrewsbury, who also entered a team in the Shrewsbury Rybrook raft race, and enthusiastic volunteers from the staff at the Marks & Spencer store in the town.
"A real success – just shows what a voluntary committee of six people, a river, community spirit and some beautiful weather can do.”
One of the main events of the day was the Rybrook Shrewsbury Raft Race, where the teams built their vessels earlier in one hour using the pallets, rope and drums supplied. Race organiser Phil Gittins was made to walk the plank on the Sabrina’s sister pirate ship, temporarily named The Black Pearl.
A rescue boat from the festival’s charity partner, West Mercia Search & Rescue, was on hand in speedy fashion to ensure that Phil was available later on for his raft race duties.
On his arrival, the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Peter Nutting, met staff from raft race sponsor Rybrook Shrewsbury, chatted to the stallholders, and then judged the pirates’ fancy dress competition for both children and adults.
Winners of the raft race were Rybrook Shrewsbury BMW.
There was live entertainment from Abi Foster, Chicago Swing Katz and the Shropshire Boatmen, as well as a huge range of local independent craft, food, charity and other stalls.
Shrewsbury Canoe Club taster sessions were in demand throughout the event and Macmillan Cancer Support loaned coracles, ahead of this September’s race. Also supporting the event were Shrewsbury Street Pastors, West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire & Rescue and staff from Marks & Spencer Shrewsbury.
The event raised more than £1050 for West Mercia Search and Rescue. Andy Neal (WMSAR) said: “It was a great day yesterday, a real spectacle for the people of Shrewsbury and a lovely family day. Our team had a great time especially about what a great opportunity it was to get our water safety message across.”
