Marple Locks - Canal Festival

Last year’s celebration of the Marple Locks Bicentenary was a huge success and despite the appalling weather in the morning, which made it difficult for everyone setting up, the crowds still turned out with their brollies and coats in great numbers to see Samuel Oldknow descend from Top Lock to Memorial Park in the horse-drawn canal boat, Maria.

Marple Locks Heritage Society was originally set up just to organise this one-off event but the success of the celebrations and the interest shown by the local community in the preservation of the locks persuaded the committee to carry on. The society now has around 50 members and has worked hard to become a link between British Waterways and the local community to help preserve and enhance Marple’s unique flight of 16 locks.

This year’s Festival will be held on Sunday 10th July and, as last year, will centre on Memorial Park with activities up and down the full flight of locks.

The theme for this year’s festival is ‘music’ and will include the Ged Hone Jazz Band, who will perform on a canal boat, a seven piece covers band called Monkey Harris and other local bands too.

There will be guided walks explaining the history of the locks and aqueduct, canoeing at Top Lock, a Pro-Loco art event with artists painting at various locations along the canal and even a mini-bus service to take people up and down the locks. There will be numerous stalls and displays in Memorial Park, featuring groups like Marple Naturalists, Otterspool Animal Haven and Mellor Archaeological Trust to name just a few. There will be a burger bar in the park and refreshments will also be available at The Edge restaurant, the Lockkeeper’s cottage on Station Road (Lock 9) and from New Horizons at their berth on Marple Wharf.

Marple Local History Society will be putting on an exhibition in the library between 25th June and 7th July, so all-in-all there’s going to be far too much going on in Marple to be going on holiday this summer!

Event Timetable
10.00 -	Hawk Green Brass Band in the park (approx 20 mins)
10.30 -	First Guided History Walk from Top Lock
10.30 -	'Moor of James' in the park
11.00 -	Boat leaves Top Lock with Jazz Band
11.15 -	Hawk Green Brass Band in the park (approx 30 mins)
12.00 -	Tree planting ceremony in the park
12.30 -	Second Guided History Walk from Top Lock
12.45 -	'Monkey Harris' band in the park (approx 1 hr)
13.45 -	Chip Pan Display
14.00 -	Plaque ceremony at Top Lock
14.30 -	Third Guided History Walk from Top Lock
14.30 -	'Ged Hone' in the park
15.30 -	Short Ecumenical Service in the park, including 2 minutes silence to commemorate the end of war.
16.00 -	Close of event

Children's Activities in the park

Canoeing at Top Lock

Exhibition on the work of the PFCS at New Horizons Wharf

Boat Trips from Top Lock

Bowls Match in Memorial Park

Chess Matches in tent in the park

Fun for all the Family at New Horizons Wharf

A Variety of Stalls in Memorial Park

Tree Cutting Demo in Memorial Park

Vintage Boats travelling up and down the Locks