200th birthday celebrations

A MASSIVE street party is being organised next year to celebrate the 200th birthday of the Kennet & Avon Canal.

A history trail and a street theatre project will be among the features of Widcombe Rising, which will celebrate the occasion on the 13th June, which is being funded by a £7,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Theatre project

The lottery fund is also paying for a 10 weeks street theatre project for up to 50 children and young people, who will be devising canal-themed scenes to be performed at Widcombe Rising, under the direction of professional actors from the Widcombe-based Natural Theatre Company.

A magical goddess who has risen from the waters will be paraded through the streets in a satirical take on Bath's Sulis Minerva legend.

There will also be an exhibition on the canal's history, with  the rest of the event having a watery theme, with the hope of a boat rally.