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Site of the festival. Pic: IWA

The three-day Inland Waterways Association National Festival and Boat Show is to be held at Autherley Junction in Pendeford, Wolverhampton, from 23rd-25th August 2008.

The 'National' - as it is known - first took place at Market Harborough in 1950 and has since become an annual event for UK Inland Waterways.

The boats

Over 300 visiting boats will be moored alongside the Shropshire Union Canal and other sections of the Staffs & Worcs Canal, down to Aldersley Junction at the bottom of the Wolverhampton Flight.

Boats at the show will include heritage working narrowboats, horse drawn boats, steam narrowboats as well as many others.听The heritage boats will be grouped together by the Festival site and the steam boats will be putting on steam displays during the weekend.

Boast on the water

Boat trips will be running along the moorings all day so this is your chance to 'get afloat' on the canals and see all the decorated moor boats up close. You'll also be able to see a prototype vessel that is hydrogen powered.

Ever wanted to live on a boat?

Members of the Residential Boat Owners Association will be giving talks throughout the weekend to help answer any questions you might have about living on the water. They'll be focusing on purchasing a boat, finding a mooring, what to do about receiving post and how to arrange all the essentials you take for granted when living in a house.

Tony Brooks - writer for several national waterway magazines - will be giving demonstrations on boat maintenance and author Terry Darlington will be in attendance, signing copies of his new book that deals with his recent travels on a narrow boat on American waterways.

Entertainment

A range of activities will be offered for all the family.

Towards the festival site. Pic: IWA

Jazz bands, folk groups, jugglers and dance groups will provide entertainment as will the Great Football Speed Challenge. Especially for children there will be Wild Over Waterways activities, story telling sessions and a traditional Victorian fun fair. In addition, the Mikron Canal Theatre Group will be giving performances in the Festival Theatre.

Cookery writer Suzanne Austin will be giving demonstrations of her seasonal recipes during the festival. Suzanne is a campaigner for rural producers and believes in 'buying local' meats, fruits and vegetables.

Hundreds of traders will also be on hand offering all kinds of products - foods, jewellery, garden equipment, clothes, healthy living items as well as brand new boats. 75% of the available space has now been sold so any traders thinking of coming need to book their space.

The festival needs you! How to volunteer...

The IWA National Festival is organised by a team of volunteers and over 300 will be working during the Bank Holiday weekend to ensure everything goes smoothly.听Local volunteers are still needed too. For information:

Call the festival hotline on 0870 240 2438 or visit www.waterways.org.uk