A landmark event in the brass band year, the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival, co-sponsored by WLT Commercial Property, remains a highlight of the Ironbridge summer calendar.
This free festival, held on Saturday and Sunday 13th/14th July, is one of the best opportunities to hear music from the brass band repertoire played live and in the open air.
The Festival is hosted in the beautiful historic Museum of Iron, Coalbrookdale. A unique collection of bands, ranging from competition winners and championship participants, to grass roots players, will entertain with a full performance programme during both days and a Charity Gala Concert on the Saturday evening hosted by Shropshire Live’s Ryan Kennedy (ticketed event: £10 per adult, U14 free with paying adult – pay on door or via website).
The festival promises music and hospitality to suit all ears and tastes as well as an opportunity to spend some time with the friendly brass band community.
The Festival aims to entertain and to generate engagement with brass bands across all age groups. This includes outreach sessions in the local Dothill and Lightmoor primary schools in the run up to the festival, as well as encouraging people to return to playing or even to try it for the first time.
Many forms of traditional music are suffering from reduced central arts funding. As a flagship event for the community, the Festival continues to raise and maintain the profile of a genre of music dating back over 200 years which still offers a fun, social way of enjoying different styles of music.
For those already involved with a brass band, the Festival is the perfect opportunity to spend a weekend with other players, to network and share stories and experiences from around the country. For those new to this genre, why not have a go at playing a brass instrument for the first time at one of the taster sessions during the weekend? Or, if you have an instrument again that has been gathering dust and would like to play again, this is the event to find out more about a band local to you.
Access to the festival is easy with ample parking and transport provision through the Ironbridge Park&Ride scheme. With food and drink from traditional pie and mash, to Mexican, as well as a bar, coffee and ice cream also available, the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival is the perfect way to spend a summer weekend!
Download full details here: ironbridgebrassbandfestival.co.uk.
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