W3 2014 – the Whaley Bridge Water Weekend – celebrates its 15th anniversary on 6. 7 and 8 June, as a month of fun begins. W3 is followed by the Welldressing and Rose Queen Festival and a run of other events – see ‘2014 Main Summer Events’ tab to the left of this page. The Water Weekend gets off to a musical start on Friday evening 6 June. All day on Saturday 7 June and Sunday 8 June, there will be a non-stop mix of free boat trips, fairground rides(payment reqd), music, market style shopping at the craft stalls, and some exquisite fast food such as Whaleyburgers (home-produced beef). There’s even some Whaley Bridge produced beer to wash it down!

Your choice. your craft: a kayak or a canal boat trip?

Some highlights of the weekend:

FRIDAY NIGHT, MUSIC NIGHT
FRIDAY evening, 6 June: W3 spins into life at 6pm, with The Audiosphere Project. until 10pm . Young Whaley Bridge based DJs host an evening of electronic music on the big stage at the Canal Basin. Food and soft drinks will be on sale, provided by W3 Catering. The nearby fairground, on the car park, will be open.

The traditional Acoustic Evening will run from 7pm to late in the Mechanics’ Institute in the centre of Whaley Bridge. Linda Simpson, founder of this event, returns to perform and host the evening, with the best acoustic musicians in the High Peak. The evening will be compered by Tony Boden from Buxton’s Club Acoustic. The Pig and Parrot bar will be open all evening

Friday night is acoustic night: Linda Simpson performs

FRIDAY evening includes the Audiosphere Project, young DJs playing electronic music on the big stage at the Canal Basin, while a few hundred metres away the traditional Acoustic Evening will be hosted by singer-guitarist Linda Simpson, founder of the event.

SATURDAY sees free boat trips along the canal and a choice from:
 Punch and Judy, a favourite for all ages
 Peak Paddlers’ kayaks, providing trips from the canal basin
 a climbing wall for the youngsters
 petting zoo, with various animals including a racoon
 a steam engine
 a yurt (tent) from High Peak Community Arts
 fairground on the car park (rides are charged)
 the transhipment warehouse is opened

Fringe reading
In Footsteps, our annual ‘fringe’ event is readings by members of Whaley Bridge Pen Club. Hear local writers read from their own work, Saturday 10am-12 noon.

The afternoon and evening highlighta are:
1 pm Powderkegs, Whaley Bridge based border morris dancers
1.30 singer George Borowski on the big stage
3 pm Powderkegs encore
3.30 George Borowski encore, and the Wonderfulls
5.pm The Acoustic Collective, old favourites with easy music
6.15 False Cross, local band, formerly Air/Lock, who performed last year.
8pm Rogers Floyd, top North West Pink Floyd tribute band (with blow-up pig!).

SUNDAY’s fun continues, with a tip from organisers: if you’re hoping for a boat trip, come early before the rush. Last year, 1,600 people took a trip over the two days – about one in every five of Whaley Bridge’s population Boat trips and most things are free over the weekend. .

Among Sunday attractions:
 Birds of prey exhibition
 Punch and Judy
 The fairground, all day at the car park
 Stalls, with market-style shopping

Afternoon hghlights:
12noon Whaley Bridge Brass Band, music for a summer afternoon
1.15pm The Acoustic Collective, on thr big stage
2.45pm The Chinese Marbles, family music group

SUMMER IN WHALEY BRIDGE: DATES BOX
 Whaley Water Weekend – Fri 6, Sat 7 and Sun 8 June. Contacts: Barry Rudd,
chair, 01663 733 003. Stalls, Chris Tetley 07767 652775, w3stalls@outlook.com
 Welldressing – preparations in marquee at Canal Basin from 23 June. Blessing Sun
29 June. Boards on display for a further week. Contact: Pat Lloyd, chair 01663 733 768.
 Rose Queen Festival – Carnival day Sat 28 June. Procession starts 1pm (changed
from 2pm). Main events Bowlling Club. Contact: chair Tim Mourne, 01663 734 930.
 Whaley Bridge Arts ExhibItion, Saturday 28 June, Uniting Church, 10am-5pm.
Paintings on sale. Refreshments. Contact: Rosemary Wignall, 01663 733 220.
 Village Games, spin-off from Rose Queen Festival in2013. The 2014 event is on
Sun 6 July at Whaley Bridge Sports Centre. Contact: Tim Mourne, 01663 734 930.
 Whaley Bridge Garden Show, Sat 6 September in the Bowling Club, celebrating
20th anniversary this year. Contact: Loraine Coverley, 01663 733 127

OUR THANKS TO ALL
The Water Weekend was founded through an initiative by Whaley Bridge town council in 2000. We thank the town council once again for financial and other support, and a generous commitment to the future. Thanks, also, to the Canal and Rivers Trust for permission to use the canal basin and High Peak borough council for use of the car park. Special thanks go to our main sponsor for an eighth consecutive year, Autotech Service Centre; also to our primary sponsors the Jodrell Arms, Peartree Print and The Review. Our thanks go to the many advertisers, to our supporters and volunteers, especially the crews of our boats, and the committee. Without all this
support, there could be no event.

CONTACTING W3
Barry Rudd, chairman , is on 01663 733003 or 07836 258 883, email barry@mobelec.co.uk Secretary Sam Gray is on 01663 719 682 or s.gray@mmu.ac.uk Treasurer Eveline Hughes is on 01663 733597 or 07916 257 292.
Visit the official website WhaleyWaterWeekend.co.uk for reports of the 2014 event and previous Water Weekends.