MELKSHAM Food and River Festival returns to the King George V playing field this weekend with a jam-packed programme for all the family spread across two days.
Thousands of people flocked to last year’s event and this year organisers are expecting to see even bigger crowds.
Throughout the weekend, the River Avon will play host to an array of fun water activities including boat rides, canoeing, various demonstrations and on Saturday afternoon, 2nd September, the famous raft race and boat flotilla.
On the Sunday, over 70 stalls with descend upon the playing field with many delights on offer; from rustic pizzas to relishes and pickles, sausages and smoothies, cheeses and freshly baked bread, brownies, doughnuts, sweets and chocolate – plus much more.
Chilli eating
Also on the Sunday, courageous competitors test their taste buds in what has become one of the highlights of the festival, the chilli eating contest.
Something for everyone at the festival is planned, with music from The Decibelles plus activities for children including face painting and rides on Frankie the Canal Horse on both Saturday and Sunday and The Military Wives Choir singing live on the Saturday.
Melksham Town Council is supporting the Festival even more this year, by providing free car parking for the weekend.
Fantastic weekend
Adrienne Westbrook, chair of the organising committee said, “We are really looking forward to another fantastic weekend of family fun in Melksham!
“Sunday is well known as a big crowd puller, with over 80 stalls, as well as all the music, children’s attractions and fun on the river.
“In response to feedback from previous years, we have increased the activities on Saturday. As well as the raft race, canoeing and river demonstrations, there will be hot food stalls, the Box Steam Brewery beer stall, the Wiltshire Outdoor Learning climbing wall, the Coopertires’ wire challenge and brilliant demonstrations in the Leekes Country Kitchen marquee.
“We are also very excited to announce another music event; in addition to the local delightful Decibelles, and the wonderful Warminster Military Wives Choir, a new Saturday early evening set will be performed by the legendary Cross Guns Singers (as featured earlier this year on Channel 5’s Celebrity Barging Around). This will lead up to the illuminated boat parade at 8pm (weather permitting).
“There will be a small charge for the evening concert and a voluntary collection organised to support the Military Wives.
“Family tickets for boat rides on Saturday will be reduced from £12 to £7, so there are loads of reasons to come along and spend the whole weekend at the Festival!”
Visit www.melkshamfood andriverfestival.co.uk for more information about the weekend or see our centre page pullout.
![Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.](https://scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/505444438_18038424887647822_3264519508333556874_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=gXZQJoHTNiEQ7kNvwHezuPI&_nc_oc=AdlrJvMDapuork_EjycPOcegNeMnCA37GEIudkxkTeCfTgvB5iijE05ojpwlYCd5gN8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=0ZY31jxOGx2M8z1ZqYNvEg&oh=00_AfPY_C0B8EndpVcx78sVp9qVJgtm368WREf36ZX1_jO3mg&oe=6855C74A "Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.")
