Discoveries will go on for days and days!

Growing success for an event in Derbyshire's historic Derwent Valley has resulted in the creation of a new week-long festival of activities in the East Midlands' only World Heritage Site.

Launched in 2005, the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site's Discovery Days have steadily increased in length and activities. Last year, over 2,000 people turned out over two days to take part in over 60 events, many of them free-of-charge.

In 2008, the Discovery Days Festival will kick off on Saturday 25 October and run right through the nine days of the school half term, ending on 2 November.

Over 70 events have already been confirmed for those nine days, with more in preparation, ensuring this will be one of the busiest weeks of activities the Derwent Valley has ever seen!

As well as the usual mix of guided walks, exhibitions and children’s craft sessions, there will be four very different musical events, talks about the World Heritage Site and a chance for some hands-on conservation work along the Cromford Canal.

As in previous years, one of the highlights will be the horse-drawn narrow boat travelling along the Cromford Canal between Cromford Wharf and High Peak Junction, this time on the final two days, Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November.

“The Discovery Days have been hugely popular in the past,” said World Heritage Site Co-ordinator Adrian Farmer. “The only problem has been people couldn’t get around the 15 miles of World Heritage Site fast enough to attend all the activities that interested them.

“That has been one of the reasons the Discovery Days will now be filling the whole of the half term week. The other is that with so many enthusiastic volunteers wanting to get involved, we now have far too many events for just two days!”

To help people get to as many events as they can, 2008 will see emphasis on different sections of the World Heritage Site on different days.

On Day One, Saturday 25 October, the majority of activities will be in Derby, and then its Belper’s turn the following day.

The following weekend of November 1 and 2 will then see the emphasis shift to Cromford Canal and the Masson and Cromford Mills at the north end of the site.

“It doesn’t mean there won’t be events elsewhere on those days, but it will hopefully cut down the need for people to use their cars so much,” said Adrian.

Councillor Joyce Sanders chairs the partnership which manages the World Heritage Site. She said: “The Discovery Days have been enormously successful in helping people find out about the World Heritage Site and enjoy the Derwent Valley. The expansion to nine days will hopefully attract even more people to Derbyshire, and establish the Discovery Days as a significant festival for the county.

“It’s thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of so many volunteers that this has been achieved.”

View the full timetable  17kb

Published on 20 June 2008