Organisers of the Melksham Food & River Festival are delighted with the fantastic response from local organisations, charities, and food and drink providers, who have committed to attending the increasingly popular Festival to be held in the King George V Park on the weekend of September 2nd and 3rd.
80 stalls have now booked to appear on the main Festival day on Sunday, as well as extra adventurous activities on and by the River Avon on Saturday; the greatest number of stalls and activities at the Festival since its beginning.
Adrienne Westbrook, chair of the Festival committee said, “The Melksham Food and River Festival is a true community-based affair, and it promises to be a real supersized event this year!
“By popular demand, there will be additional attractions on Saturday to complement the River Adventure that was a great success last year. These will include the Wiltshire Outdoor Learning Team’s 7.3m climbing wall, the Cooper Tires’ Wire Challenge (which will be a traverse wire across the River Avon and back) hot food stalls, soft drinks, children’s activities, and demonstrations.
“The Foxhangers Raft Race has medals as well as a cash prize for the winners, and there will be boat trips on the river. As well as the beer tent, there will be cooking demonstrations, the Decibelles and the Military Wives Choir in the Leekes Country Kitchen marquee, and to round off the day, at dusk there will be an illuminated cruise by the visiting Wilderness Boats – although this will depend on the weather.”
Melksham Town Council is supporting the Festival even more this year, by suspending car park fees for the weekend; and as well as demonstrations on the river, free try canoeing, free music, free cooking and cocktail demonstrations there will also be free entry to the event, so visitors won’t need to spend a fortune to have a fantastic time.
Adrienne added, “Sunday will be the main food and drinks day, with 80 stalls now booked on the King George V Park – the biggest number we have ever had! Many stalls will highlight our excellent local producers, and there will also be free entertainment from the brilliant local duo the Decibelles.
“The chilli eating competition returns on Sunday when competitors pit their taste buds against increasingly intense chillies, and Bewley and Merrett will complete the day with a memorial balloon release.
“Please visit the website www.melkshamfoodand riverfestival.co.uk as we are adding updates all the time.”
Both days will feature boat trips, including on the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust’s new wheelyboat The Mary Archard. This boat is also accessible to wheelchairs, disability scooters and children’s buggies, allowing everyone in the family to enjoy a trip on this beautiful stretch of the River Avon.
The Festival programme is available from the Melksham Tourist Information Centre, plus the programme, all information, prices, rules and entry forms, are on the website: www.melkshamfoodan driverfestival.co.uk
The website also has a wealth of information, directions, children’s colouring competition, and many photos to give you a tantalizing taste of this exciting event.
For more information, please contact Adrienne Westbrook on 07595 420021 or via email: info @melkshamfoodandriver festival.co.uk
![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.")
