Canal festival promises a fortnight of fun

Rochdale Canal Festival

If you're looking for something to entertain the kids during the summer holidays, then you should head for the Rochdale Canal Festival.

The festival is hosting two weeks of free activities especially for 7 to 14-year-olds, from Saturday 21 July to Sunday 5 August.

Free activities include boat rides, canoe lessons, guided walks, bike adventures, fishing, wildlife explorations and much, much more!

To kick start the activities, a Fun Day is being held on Saturday 21 July by the canal at Ealees, Littleborough from 11am to 4pm.

Activities on the day will include boat rides, bouncy castle and face painting, a brass band will be playing music and the Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale will be there too.

Youngsters can join in the fun even before the fortnight starts, by entering a fantastic art competition. Winners will be announced during the fun day and there are some great prizes up for grabs.

All the children have to do is paint or draw a picture of what they think the canal would have looked like 200 years ago, in the year 1807, or if they prefer, what it might look like 200 years from now, in the year 2207.

The closing date for the competition is Wednesday 18 July. The picture should be no bigger than A3 and should have the name, age, address and a contact telephone number on the back, so that winners can be contacted. Entries should be marked 'Past' or 'Future'.

The prizes are:

• 1st Prize - £50 Gift Voucher and Strike Ten Bowling and Pizza Hut pass for four people (value £20) at Sandbrook Park, Rochdale.
• 2nd Prize - £25 Gift Voucher and Strike Ten Bowling and Pizza Hut pass for four people (value £20) at Sandbrook Park Rochdale.
• 3rd Prize - £10 Gift Voucher and Strike Ten Bowling and Pizza Hut pass for four people (value £20) at Sandbrook Park, Rochdale.

Entries should be sent to The Special Projects Team, Rochdale MBC, Floor 6, Municipal Offices, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1WU.