Crowds flock to bigger and better Wednesfield Canal Festival

It was the ninth year of the festival, which started with a few boats in 2014 and has grown since, with the festival on Saturday and Sunday seeing hundreds of people come along to see the boats, as well as try kayaking on the water, courtesy of the Canal and River Trust.

On shore, there was a music stage, with DJ Niel Jackson keeping those in attendance entertained, as well as introducing different music acts throughout the weekend, while the Harry Jones Funfair was also busy with rides and attractions.

The Nickelodeon pub, which has joined the festivities over the years, continued to do so this year, hosting a cider festival and providing a place for people to sit and enjoy the music and festivities.

While a bit wet and windy at times, the festival enjoyed good weather throughout and James Clarke, chairman of Hands On Wednesfield, the group which coordinates the festival alongside community partners, Wolverhampton Council and the Canal and River Trust, said it had been a great occasion.

He said: "It's been really great and we've seen far more boats than ever taking part this year, stretching from New Cross Bridge all the way down to behind the Nickelodeon, so it's been great to see us building in terms of our boating contingent.

"We've had loads of stalls, with some regular people and some stalls and people trading here, plus the Canal and River Trust have been here offering free kayaking sessions, letting people have a go at kayaking up and down the canal, which has been something people have really enjoyed.

"It's been great to see people going up and down and enjoying themselves and apart from the odd shower here or there, the weather has been great.

"We've also had some great feedback from people who've come down, saying they've been very impressed by the traders that are here, with so many different things, including lots of really tasty food, and there have been people walking around with smiles of their faces."

Mr Clarke said the festival was special due to the community feeling to it, describing it as a collaboration with the community in Wednesfield, as well as the volunteers who made it work and the organisations helping to run it.

He also said that it helped to bring a modern touch to something which was centuries old and had changed over time and was already looking at a special anniversary in 2024.

He said: "It's a 200-year-old piece of infrastructure and it was designed to move goods when roads didn't exist, but it's taken on a completely new life and a new purpose, which is largely around leisure.

"People use the towpaths for their daily walk and the canal is used for things like fishing, so this is a real celebration of the water highway that goes right through the middle of Wednesfield and the fact that this area has seen a lot of regeneration, particularly around the Bentley Bridge side, and is really nice.

"Next year will be 10 years since we started and we're already looking at what we can do to make it bigger and better and show how much this area has changed and continues to change."

To find out more about the Canal and River Trust, go to canalrivertrust.org.uk