Boaters gearing up for Whitchurch rally
Boaters are gearing up for an annual boat rally which is expected to attract hundreds of visitors to a town this weekend.
The event will be held on the canal arm at Chemistry on Saturday and Sunday in support of the Whitchurch Waterway Trust.
Scores of boats are expected to feature, including historic narrowboats from the boat museum at Ellesmere Port.
Some boats will be open for the public to view and there will be a decorated boat competition featuring the theme of Romans.
Wendy Capelle, manager of the Canal & River Trust, and Councillor Rob Hewson, mayor of Whitchurch, will be among the invited dignitaries judging the competition.
The event, starting at 10am, will feature various stalls from local clubs and societies, boat trips, and hot and cold refreshments.
Local ceilidh band Jigsmith will also be playing all weekend.
A fun dog show will be held on Sunday at 2pm and will be judged by staff at Whitchurch-based Leonard Brothers Veterinary Practice.
Registration will be available from 12pm at the Whitchurch Waterways Trust stall.
Organisers, who are keeping their fingers crossed for warm and dry weather, say the event has been running since the mid-1990s and usually attracts hundreds of people.
Lindsay Green, one of the organisers of the event, said: "So far we have got about 18 boats signed up.
"Because Whitchurch is a Roman town we decided that the theme of the best decorated boat competition should be Romans.
"I have been involved in the event for 13 years, the trust has been doing it since 1994.
"It started out as a social event for boaters and has grown from that. We now have more boats and stalls on the towpath.
"People who come always seem to like it."
The Whitchurch Waterways Trust is dedicated to promoting the re-generation and re-building of the Whitchurch arm of the Llangollen Canal.
For more details about the event visit www.whitchurchwaterway.org.uk/ annual-boat-rally.
