COVENTRY’S art, music and heritage were on full display over the weekend as the city celebrated its first-ever River Festival.
The festival at Millenium Place and Lady Herbert’s Garden saw Coventry-based arts and heritage groups showcase their talents and express their love for the city and the nine-mile-long River Sherbourne.
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Joshua Patel and Paul Nolan. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2523002MMR10 www.buyphotos247.com
It was the brainchild of the Coventry Cultural River Consortium and it’s hoped it will be expanded by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the Sherbourne Valley Project as an annual event.
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Charlotte Ridpath (Warwickshire Wildlife Trust) talks all things wildlife. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2523002MMR11 www.buyphotos247.com
Coventrians were able to marvel at several installations at the festival or create their own masterpiece with river-themed arts and crafts.
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Rory (11) and Gabriel (11) with their crafty fish. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2523002MMR1 www.buyphotos247.com
Installations included Ludic Rooms interactive work exploring folk traditions and Coventry’s watery past.
Families had fun walking into a mechanical whale’s mouth to enjoy a marvellous three-minute theatre show by Coventry group ‘talking birds’.
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Storytime in the whale. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2523002MMR2 www.buyphotos247.com
Other attractions included a weekend-long film gallery in the Coventry Transport Museum and a sound installation by Indira.
Plus staff from The Sherbourne Valley Project hosted tours featuring several fascinating stories about the river’s past.
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Learning about rivers. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2523002MMR5 www.buyphotos247.com
Tales ranged from the river’s relationship with Pool Meadow to ghost stories and local medieval squabbles between the Prior and the Earl.
Tour guides also explained how the River Sherbourne once supported 14 water mills.
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Jack (2) and Emma Robson. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2523002MMR8 www.buyphotos247.com
The tour ended at the river’s edge on Palmer Lane, where Coventrians heard more about the Sherbourne Valley project’s plans to improve the river.
Over on the main stage, Ascension Dance showcased several river-inspired performances from their senior youth groups SOAR and VERTEX.
The stage also saw performances from Warwickshire Poet Laureate Emily Hunt as well as various singing and spoken word sets.
And the fun ended on Sunday with a DJ set from Sisters in Dub.
