About the event

Every year, the Inland Waterways Association runs a major event during the summer. In 2011, it's at Shobnall Fields, Burton on Trent, on the Trent and Mersey Canal. For the first time for a long while, it will be from the Friday to the Sunday of the last weekend in July, rather than the Late Summer Bank Holiday.

Like a lot of other volunteers, we'll be there for three weeks, starting on Saturday 16th July. Our main contribution will be editing and producing the daily newsletter which is circulated to the boaters, campers and exhibitors at the Festival, starting on the Thursday before.

Disclaimer

Note: this is an entirely personal account of our time helping to set up and run the Festival. It's not an official IWA site; please use the link above for that.

Sunday, 29 August 2010

Third Saturday

Yesterday saw the Show open on time, despite the usual last minute panics. I haven’t got any figures for the first day’s entry, but the ground looked nicely full, given that it’s one of the larger show fields that we use.

In between going to the BW Q&A session and getting the Sunday edition ready for bed, there was time to wander round a bit, and to meet up with John and Nev Campbell at lunch time.

The final touches to Sunday were delayed by the need to get an account of the Opening Ceremony in, so it was ten to three, rather than half two, before the first copied emerged. Kevin used both printers, however, as the one normally kept for short jobs has much less demand on it when the Show is actually open.

We had less help with the folding at first, but later on, a team of experienced wrgies was recruited and things went faster. In addition, we’d agreed to insert a flyer about next year’s events, which slows things down considerably.

However, it was all done in the end, and by half five, all the copies were at their distribution centres. We’d printed and folded 1270 of them in a two and a half hours.

We’re starting to feel more relaxed about things now; just one more serious issue to get out, and that’s pretty well ready for press now.

This boat is for sale

The WRG bit of the IWA display

Eagle Owl on the Raptors stand

"Knights of the Crusade" base in the Arena

Thames Barge manoeuvring

1 comment:

ward said...

our first visit and what a wonderful weekend well done you all put so much into it