Fun day full of music and entertainment in Brierley Hill helps bring Black Country Festival to an end

The Brier Fair saw the Moor Centre in Brierley Hill became a centre of fun for the whole family, with a range of events and entertainment on offer yesterday (July 26).

This included free face painting, circus acts, fun fair rides, free Punch & Judy shows, a Disney fun day across the market and a full schedule of music and entertainment on the main stage involving local artists and Black Country legends.

The event also helped to mark the end of the annual Black Country festival, a month-long celebration of the region and the people who live and work in it which had seen music festivals, carnivals and all other types of events.

Poet, radio presenter, fundraiser and musician Billy Spakemon was one of the performers at the event, taking to the stage as part of the Busketeers, as well as being a driving force behind promoting and celebrating the Black Country and its identity.

He said it had been a great day and a really positive way of bringing the festival to an end.

He said: "We always bring the festival to an end at Brierley Hill and we put on a great show on the stage while we're here, so it's a great time.

"I think the festival has grown organically over the years as, originally, it had just been one day, then a weekend, but there are so many towns that wanted to represent themselves and that's a sign of our local identity, under the umbrella of this country.

"It's spread over the months and grown every year, with events going on everywhere, even tying in with the Birmingham Jazz festival, as we were at an event the other night and I thought it was great that even Birmingham wants to be part of our festival.

"I think it's amazing as people see me every year and come and want to tell me stories and that's just part and parcel of the festival as people can celebrate their communities and where they come from and enjoy being part of this region."