Lots of events at Ellesmere
THE National Waterways Museum, has lots of events lined up for boaters and visitors during 2012.
In addition to the popular Easter Boat Gathering and the return of the Beer Festival in October, the museum will be playing host to historical re-enactors in May and crafts and cars in June.
Sea Shanty Festival
And for the second year the Easter Show will be joined by a Sea Shanty Festival, with traditional musicians arriving at the museum to perform.
Warriors and Washerwomen is a new event for 12th and 13th May, which will see the museum becoming home for the weekend to historical re-enactors covering 1,000 years of history. Visitors will be able to see demonstrations and learn about several periods of Cheshire's past. And the hands-on history theme carries on with a Jubilee Street Party on 2nd June.
Craft and classic cars
There will also be a Craft and Classic Car Fair taking place at the museum, with an opportunity for visitors to see bygone cars. It all finishes off with the October Beer Festival organised in conjunction with Titanic Brewery.
Details of the events can be found in the Events Calendar.
Marketing Manager Oliver Briscoe explained:
"We're excited about our programme for this year; there is really something for everyone. We've got some successful events taking their place on the calendar for us, some new events which we hope will establish themselves and some which are finding their feet.
"The museum itself is a unique site which is well worth a visit but coming to see us on one of our special event days just gives you something extra."
National collection
The National Waterways Museum, at Ellesmere Port, is home to the national collection of historic working boats, some of which visitors can board to explore and find out how the working boat people used to live.
The museum also has a trip boat, hands-on exhibits, films, touch-screen displays, stables, a blacksmith, docks, pump houses, workers cottages and gardens, an archive, a soft play area, museum shop and café.