Following on from news yesterday of the Real Ale Festival at Havenstreet over the bank holiday weekend, regular Havenstreet goers will know of course that the Real Ale Festival sits alongside the excellent Island Steam Show, now in it’s 35th year.
This year a bumper programme has been organised over the four days of the Steam Show with something for everyone.
Here’s what they have to offer.
The breathless energy of Medieval combat “¦ the drama of living engineering “¦ the partnership between one man and his dog “¦ and the fun and delight of traditional fairground rides! The 35th Island Steam Show is all set to be the premier family event on the Island this August Bank Holiday weekend!
Bursting with surprises, the Show aims to present an action-packed show and a great family day out! The main arena will feature a continuous programme of entertaining shows, interesting parades and unusual demonstrations. Bob Hogg and his sheepdogs will put on two exciting and fun shows each day showing the partnership between one man and his dog as they herd geese and ducks, and also have to contend with Paxo the Chicken!
Also staging two shows each day will be The Knights of the Crusades. Set against a Medieval Castle and Tent backdrop, together with flaming torches, colourful banners, authentic costumes, and dramatic music, the Knights re-create two tales – ‘The Legend of King Arthur’ and ‘A Tale of Richard the Lionheart’. Audience participation will be encouraged throughout both shows as the Girls and Ladies are invited to walk on with the Knights, and boys are invited from the audience to try and pull the Great Sword Excalibur from the Stone!
Central to the Island Steam Show is the traditional fairground and an array of vintage steam vehicles, many of which date from the early years of the last century. Visitors can experience all the colour and atmosphere of fairgrounds from days gone by with rides on a traditional steam-powered set of Gallopers, swing-boats, junior rides and sideshows.
“Each year the staff and volunteers at the IW Steam Railway pull out all the stops to ensure we stage a full days entertainment for our visitors, and this year is no exception”, said Steam Show compere Steve Oates. “We’re particularly pleased to be bringing over The Knights of the Crusades for the first time, and, following his successful appearance at last year’s Garlic Festival, I know Bob Hogg and his Sheepdogs will be very popular. There will certainly be plenty to see and do, and we’re enormously grateful to our main sponsors Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries and the Isle of Wight County Press Group for their generous support in helping the Railway stage this event”.
Around the showground visitors can soak up the spectacle of beautifully maintained traction engines, vintage cars, motorcycles and old wagons; and to complete a full day out there are steam train rides, stalls, country crafts, kids trampolines, working steam demonstrations, refreshments, a real ale bar, and even a Red Indian encampment. As one happy customer said last year, the Island Steam Show will make the family’s August Bank Holiday a weekend to remember! “We would like to say a big thank-you to all involved for making our family day out so brilliant”
