Published at 15:44, Wednesday, 29 July 2009

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THEY’VE been splicing the mainbrace and shivering our timbers with events for 10 years now – and the Whitehaven Festival Company keeps going from strength to strength.

The company – to this day run by volunteers – staged the first of five Maritime Festivals (and later a Victorian fayre) in 1999. The following year came the Rum Festival in conjunction with the Rum Story, and a second Victorian fayre.

They brought three Tall Ships to town in 2002 (when the company also organised a harbourside concert by the Liverpool Philharmonic to mark the 150th anniversary of The Whitehaven News plus the first Fourth of July event and our part in a series of coastal beacons).

In 2004 they brought the beautiful Endeavour into harbour not once but twice. They introduced the One O’Clock Gun to town in 2005, the year they organised the war veterans’ parade as part of the Maritime Festival. And as well as the Queen’s visit and the Status Quo concert in 2008 they also arranged The Gift – a boat for the Sea Cadets brought in a convoy of Stobart trucks.

Variety, fun – and all great ways to showcase West Cumbria at its very best.

Published by http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk