Canal Events Calendar 2015

[David Mack]

How does this work?

 

CWDF Canal Events Calendar

 

This is a calendar which anyone can edit - click on the Add/Edit link at the bottom to add or amend any events.

 

Also, events for future years can be added, and viewed by clicking on the relevant year at the top.

 

The calendar defaults to only show only dates with events in the current year. Other formats can be selected using the options bottom left.

[David Schweizer]

Braunston Historic Boat Show confirmed as June 27th & 28th on Friends of Raymond site :- http://friendsofraymond.org.uk/?p=1999

[alan_fincher]

Braunston Historic Boat Show confirmed as June 27th & 28th on Friends of Raymond site :- http://friendsofraymond.org.uk/?p=1999

 

Thanks, yes.

 

Pretty certain we have had a confirmation of that on the Christmas card they seem to send to all the previous year's attendees.

 

I'll amend it, when on a suitable device.

 

I have to say I'm not at all sure we will go. A shame if we don't, but like many, we are frustrated by the excessively loud evening entertainments that rule out any hope of being able to chat to people in (or even anywhere near to) the beer tent. Lots of people feel this way now, but the entertainments seem louder and longer each year!

How does this work?

 

CWDF Canal Events Calendar

 

This is a calendar which anyone can edit - click on the Add/Edit link at the bottom to add or amend any events.

 

Also, events for future years can be added, and viewed by clicking on the relevant year at the top.

 

The calendar defaults to only show only dates with events in the current year. Other formats can be selected using the options bottom left.

 

How curious!

 

We looked at this a previous year, and concluded it wasn't workable then, I feel sure. (Possibly it needed mod approval, then, but I can't recall ecactly).

 

I'll have a better look when on a full sized screen.

 

EDIT: I didn't mean to type fukk sized screen - now changed!

Edited January 2, 2015 by alan_fincher

[Catrin]

I have to say I'm not at all sure we will go. A shame if we don't, but like many, we are frustrated by the excessively loud evening entertainments that rule out any hope of being able to chat to people in (or even anywhere near to) the beer tent. Lots of people feel this way now, but the entertainments seem louder and longer each year!

Isn't that one of the reasons for having a large Northwich with a large open area? To be able to sit fairly quietly with friends, out of the rain.

 

Yes, before you say it, we are not sure we will have the boat in a state to be able to have people on board by Braunston.

[c c]

How does this work?

 

CWDF Canal Events Calendar

 

This is a calendar which anyone can edit - click on the Add/Edit link at the bottom to add or amend any events.

 

Also, events for future years can be added, and viewed by clicking on the relevant year at the top.

 

The calendar defaults to only show only dates with events in the current year. Other formats can be selected using the options bottom left.

Thanks for pointing out that calendar so that I can include our Hillmorton event for 15th August in it, as Mr Fincher seems not to judge us worthy of inclusion in his.

[alan_fincher]

Thanks for pointing out that calendar so that I can include our Hillmorton event for 15th August in it, as Mr Fincher seems not to judge us worthy of inclusion in his.

 

An oversight, rather than a deliberate omission.

 

I'm relying on trying to toggle between one window with the accumulated comments, and another where I was editing the list, and had intended to add it, but must have missed it again as I passed through the posts.

 

EDIT: On checking, I can see it got missed on the last revision of the list, and when doing this set of changes, I only went back as far as the last one. Now added.

Edited January 2, 2015 by alan_fincher

[madcat]

Another one here who dreads the noisy " entertainment " inflicted on customers of the beer tent at events. This is one of the reasons I cant be bothered to go to rallies. As I've said on another thread my hearing is shot and I like to be able to listen to conversations and follow them not just sit there feeling out of the loop and vaguely disorientated.

[alan_fincher]

Another one here who dreads the noisy " entertainment " inflicted on customers of the beer tent at events. This is one of the reasons I cant be bothered to go to rallies. As I've said on another thread my hearing is shot and I like to be able to listen to conversations and follow them not just sit there feeling out of the loop and vaguely disorientated.

 

I know we are not alone, and for whatever reasons, after peak attendance three years back, the Braunston show is now not attracting anything like the same number of historic boats, (I think about 110 claimed in 2011, and maybe about 60 in 2014). The previous year or two, I think, lower numbers were claimed to be due to water restrictions and or conflicting events, but no such factors affected 2014, so I think we can conclude that its popularity has waned with those who bring the boats.

 

Now some would say that a Braunston where boat numbers are no higher than (say) 80 is a better Braunston, because at anywhere approaching 100, the parades are just too long lasting, and simply cause too much inconvenience to other canal users wishing to pass through. To some extent I would agree - the daytime part of the event is really OK with smaller attendances. The problem comes in the evening, particularly if the weather is poor, because there is nowhere on site to sit with friends with a pint, and have a chat. The local pubs do quite well from this fact, of course, but many of us would I think prefer to do our socialising on site, if it were possible.

 

If we can have "Flamingo" in a half way usable state we may go, because, as Cath suggests, that then provides a haven a bit bigger than a back cabin to escape from over-loud music. I think we had more or less resolved to stop taking "Sickle".

[David Schweizer]

 

Thanks, yes.

 

Pretty certain we have had a confirmation of that on the Christmas card they seem to send to all the previous year's attendees.

 

I'll amend it, when on a suitable device.

 

I have to say I'm not at all sure we will go. A shame if we don't, but like many, we are frustrated by the excessively loud evening entertainments that rule out any hope of being able to chat to people in (or even anywhere near to) the beer tent. Lots of people feel this way now, but the entertainments seem louder and longer each year!

 

How curious!

 

We looked at this a previous year, and concluded it wasn't workable then, I feel sure. (Possibly it needed mod approval, then, but I can't recall ecactly).

 

I'll have a better look when on a full sized screen.

 

EDIT: I didn't mean to type fukk sized screen - now changed!

 

I do not normally stay very long during the evenings for much the same reason, and it is getting almost as bad during the daytime. There are still some good semi accoustic daytime performers, but the organizers increasingly seem to think that we all want to be deafened by very loud (and often not very good) Rock "music"

 

Has anyone spoken to Tim about these concerns, in the absence of many complaints, perhaps he thinks we are all happy with the present "entertainment" probably bettetr if it comes from the historic boat owners rather from someone who is basicly a member of the public.

Edited January 2, 2015 by David Schweizer

[koukouvagia]

Another one here who dreads the noisy " entertainment " inflicted on customers of the beer tent at events. This is one of the reasons I cant be bothered to go to rallies. As I've said on another thread my hearing is shot and I like to be able to listen to conversations and follow them not just sit there feeling out of the loop and vaguely disorientated.

 

Could't agree more.

I've just had an email from Kathryn who's organising the moongs again at the Stoke Bruerne weekend to say that they are hoping to have a "quiet band". Great.

[alan_fincher]

Has anyone spoken to Chris about these concerns, in the absence of many complaints, perhaps he thinks we are all happy with the present "entertainment" probably bettetr if it comes from the historic boat owners rather from someone who is basicly a member of the public.

 

Sorry if I'm being thick, but who is Chris, please?

 

Could't agree more.

I've just had an email from Kathryn who's organising the moongs again at the Stoke Bruerne weekend to say that they are hoping to have a "quiet band". Great.

 

You wouldn't have liked the Vikings then!

[Leo No2]

The outline plan for Stoke Bruerne Family Festival (Gala) is:

 

Arrive any time from the Sunday before (7-June)

Stay until the Saturday afterwards - but we'll ask you to move to the long pound if you are staying longer than a few days - winding for full length boats four locks down just before the A508 bridge

Friday evening - there's always entertainment in the Navigation (below the top lock) so if you wish to please go to that or enjoy a quiet evening in your boat or The Boat (Inn)

Saturday evening - a quiet band (by quiet we mean acoustic only - no amplification) so you can easily have a civil conversation with your friends. Fish and Chips will be available on the Saturday evening this year rather than the Friday because there is always something on in the Navigation and food is available there

[Thorfast]

How does this work?

 

CWDF Canal Events Calendar

 

This is a calendar which anyone can edit - click on the Add/Edit link at the bottom to add or amend any events.

 

Also, events for future years can be added, and viewed by clicking on the relevant year at the top.

 

The calendar defaults to only show only dates with events in the current year. Other formats can be selected using the options bottom left.

Would it not be better to all be using this.....otherwise I've got to look this thread if I want to know whats happening.

[David Schweizer]

 

Sorry if I'm being thick, but who is Chris, please?

 

You wouldn't have liked the Vikings then!

 

Oops I meant Tim.

 

I always get Tim Coghlan and Chris Coburn muddled up, it's my age!!

[alan_fincher]

Would it not be better to all be using this.....otherwise I've got to look this thread if I want to know whats happening.

 

When we looked at it before, there were issues with using it, and we decided it was not a goer at that time.

 

I can't remember what they were now, but I think a need for moderator intervention played a large part in it.

 

It seems David Mack has discovered that either they have simply lifted such restrictions, or maybe that it is simply not the same as it was last time we explored it. (The forum software has almost certainly changed since).

 

I was only reluctantly doing it just as posts, (as we have for several years now), because I believed the forum didn't have a usable facility. I'll now take some time to explore the events calendar.

 

However, I have a few cautions that include.....

 

1) There are already calendars out there that can be demonstrated to be wrong. In some cases I think they have just extrapolated last year's events, to guess where they will be the following year. This doesn't really work, as some events are not annual, and has resulted in the publication of events that do not actually exist. I have gone to some length in my postings to try and validate events, or at least clearly identify those where an event or date is not yet fully confirmed. so people would need to be fairly careful what they added, or we simply end up with something which is not 100% accurate.

 

2) Some discretion needs to be used about just how much gets included. I have largely tried to only include actual events you can take a boat to, but such lists get hijacked for association meetings, including AGMs, or start to have things appear that you can't get to with a boat on the inland canals network. Whilst not disastrous, if the calendar gets filled with very minor events, it becomes hard to quickly pick out the ones that are likely to be of interest to the majority of people.

 

I suspect we probably should move to this calendar, if it checks out OK, but it will need some discipline I think.

 

As a minimum, will it allow us to include....

1) Who recorded the event?

and

2) Whether they have independently confirmed the details?

 

Otherwise we have no idea of where entries came from, and whether they are accurate.

 

What do people think?

Has anyone spoken to Chris about these concerns, in the absence of many complaints, perhaps he thinks we are all happy with the present "entertainment" probably bettetr if it comes from the historic boat owners rather from someone who is basicly a member of the public.

Sorry if I'm being thick, but who is Chris, please?

Oops I meant Tim.

 

I always get Tim Coghlan and Chris Coburn muddled up, it's my age!!

In that case, yes, I have! I collared Tim C after last year's event, and told him what both I felt, and others had said to me. His reply was that he also doesn't like the loud music, but that was down to the organisers! As I thought he was the organiser, his response left me a bit nonplussed!

[David Schweizer]

 

In that case, yes, I have! I collared Tim C after last year's event, and told him what both I felt, and others had said to me. His reply was that he also doesn't like the loud music, but that was down to the organisers! As I thought he was the organiser, his response left me a bit nonplussed!

 

Did you speak to him before or after the beer tent had opened? We were sat with him a couple of years ago, along with his old University tutor, and to say he was "merry without an apparent care in the world" would be an understatement!

 

On a more serious note, I believe most of the organization is now done by some of the office staff, but he surely has some influence, after all he is the boss.

Edited January 2, 2015 by David Schweizer

[MtB]

I told Tim C too that the loud music was very unwelcome, but felt he really wasn't interested in hearing what I had to say.

 

 

MtB

[David Mack]

 

When we looked at it before, there were issues with using it, and we decided it was not a goer at that time.

 

I can't remember what they were now, but I think a need for moderator intervention played a large part in it.

 

It seems David Mack has discovered that either they have simply lifted such restrictions, or maybe that it is simply not the same as it was last time we explored it. (The forum software has almost certainly changed since).

 

I was only reluctantly doing it just as posts, (as we have for several years now), because I believed the forum didn't have a usable facility. I'll now take some time to explore the events calendar.

 

However, I have a few cautions that include.....

 

1) There are already calendars out there that can be demonstrated to be wrong. In some cases I think they have just extrapolated last year's events, to guess where they will be the following year. This doesn't really work, as some events are not annual, and has resulted in the publication of events that do not actually exist. I have gone to some length in my postings to try and validate events, or at least clearly identify those where an event or date is not yet fully confirmed. so people would need to be fairly careful what they added, or we simply end up with something which is not 100% accurate.

 

2) Some discretion needs to be used about just how much gets included. I have largely tried to only include actual events you can take a boat to, but such lists get hijacked for association meetings, including AGMs, or start to have things appear that you can't get to with a boat on the inland canals network. Whilst not disastrous, if the calendar gets filled with very minor events, it becomes hard to quickly pick out the ones that are likely to be of interest to the majority of people.

 

I suspect we probably should move to this calendar, if it checks out OK, but it will need some discipline I think.

 

As a minimum, will it allow us to include....

1) Who recorded the event?

and

2) Whether they have independently confirmed the details?

 

Otherwise we have no idea of where entries came from, and whether they are accurate.

 

What do people think?

 

What I set up is not using the forum software. It is a separate calendar provided (free) by Brownbear Software. The advantage that this has over other online calendars is the ability to display in what they term 'condensed view', in which only the dates with an event on are listed, which is therefore similar to the list format in Alan's earlier emails, and for the current purposes, easier to work with than the sort of calendar with a grid for the whole month or year, with most dates blank and insufficient space to include all the event details.

 

There are various admin options available. It is currently set up with me as owner/administrator with (some) control over the layout and formatting etc., but anybody can add/delete/edit an event. I can restrict any of those categories to users with a password, but that would defeat the aim of allowing the collective knowledge of CWDF to add content directly. There is no way of providing an audit trail of who has added/edited/deleted a particular entry - that would presumably require some sort of individual registration, which is not an option offered by the software.

 

The alternative is to allow anyone to view the calendar, but restrict the add/edit/delete access to specific individual(s) who would have to copy data from this thread, event organisers websites or similar sources etc. to the calendar.

 

I don't really want to take on the responsibility of maintaining the content myself, but if someone else wants to take on that role I will happily set up the appropriate access arrangements.

 

David

[c c]

 

An oversight, rather than a deliberate omission.

 

I'm relying on trying to toggle between one window with the accumulated comments, and another where I was editing the list, and had intended to add it, but must have missed it again as I passed through the posts.

 

EDIT: On checking, I can see it got missed on the last revision of the list, and when doing this set of changes, I only went back as far as the last one. Now added.

Thanks Alan - only joking - I'll make sure you have a non-music banter area - in fact our bar is always completely music free - the bands will be outside in a marquee.

[Thorfast]

 

What I set up is not using the forum software. It is a separate calendar provided (free) by Brownbear Software. The advantage that this has over other online calendars is the ability to display in what they term 'condensed view', in which only the dates with an event on are listed, which is therefore similar to the list format in Alan's earlier emails, and for the current purposes, easier to work with than the sort of calendar with a grid for the whole month or year, with most dates blank and insufficient space to include all the event details.

 

There are various admin options available. It is currently set up with me as owner/administrator with (some) control over the layout and formatting etc., but anybody can add/delete/edit an event. I can restrict any of those categories to users with a password, but that would defeat the aim of allowing the collective knowledge of CWDF to add content directly. There is no way of providing an audit trail of who has added/edited/deleted a particular entry - that would presumably require some sort of individual registration, which is not an option offered by the software.

 

The alternative is to allow anyone to view the calendar, but restrict the add/edit/delete access to specific individual(s) who would have to copy data from this thread, event organisers websites or similar sources etc. to the calendar.

 

I don't really want to take on the responsibility of maintaining the content myself, but if someone else wants to take on that role I will happily set up the appropriate access arrangements.

 

David

 

I know of, and am a member of, several groups that announce their meetings and events in this way. A sort of moderated events posting, where they are approved before the events become live on the calendar. Generally they work very well and provide a 'one stop shop' for those members. The moderator has to spend a bit of time at the beginning of the year (like now) when people are adding events, but usually by March the need to regulate or moderate the additions to the calendar is not very arduous.

If everyone thinks this is a good idea are there any offers to 'co-ordinate' or moderate a calendar......................or shall I volunteer?

[alan_fincher]

Reissue with Cosgrove event added.

Fri 3^rd - Sat 4^th April - Easter Boat Gathering Tipton [Details awaited - possible CWDF Banter?]
Fri 3^rd - Mon 6^th April - Easter at Ellesmere Port

Sat 2^nd - Mon 4^th May – Canalway Cavalcade, London

Sat 9^th - Sun 10^th May - Coombeswood Canal Trust Open Weekend

Fri 15^th - Sun 17^th May – BCNS Summer Boat gathering - Titford Pumphouse
Fri 15^th - Sun 17^th May – Alvechurch Beer and Boat Festival
Sat 16^th - Sun 17^th May – Rickmansworth Festival

Sat 23^rd - Sun 24^th May – BCNS 24 hour Marathon Challenge

Sat 23^rd - Mon 25^th May – Crick Boat Show

Sat 30^th - Sun 31^st May - Etruria Canal Festival
Sat 30^th - Sun 31^st May - IWA Trail Boat Festival - Lancaster Canal

Fri 12^th June [start] - Worcester Canal Festival [No details on duration]
Fri 12^th - Sun 14^th June – Stoke Bruerne Family Festival
Sat 13^th June - Reading Waterfest

Fri 19^th - Sun 21^st June - Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival

Sat 27th - Sun 28th June – Braunston Historic Boats

Fri 3^rd - Sun 5^th July - Ware Boat Festival
Sat 4^th - Sun 5^th July - Stratford River Festival

Fri 10th - Sun 12th July - Kings Norton Festival

Sat 11th - Sun 12th July - Cosgrove Canal Festival & Craft Fair

Sat 18^th - Sun 19^th July - Blackburn Canal Festival

[GUESS] Late July - Linslade Canal Festival
Sat 25^th - Sun 26th July - Audlem Festival of Transport

Sat 8^th - Sun 9^th August - Blisworth Canal Festival

Thu 13^th - Sat 15^th August - Fairport's Cropredy Convention
Sat 15th August - Hillmorton Free Fun Event - Multiple anniversaries.

Sat 29^th - Mon 31^st August - IWA Festival of Water - Northampton
[REVISED GUESS] Sat 29^th - Mon Sep 31^st - Alvecote Historic Boat Gathering

[GUESS] Sat 5^th - Sun 6^th September - Shackerstone Festival

Sat 12^th – Sun 13^th September - Stoke Bruerne Village at War

Sat 19^th to Sun 20^th September - Tipton Community Canal Festival
Sat 19^th to Sun 20^th September - Huddlesford Heritage Gathering

[GUESS] Sat 26^th - Sun 27^th September - BCLM Working Boat Gathering

[tillergirl]

Skipton Canal Festival 2-4th May

 

Leeds Waterfront Festival 27th June

[alan_fincher]

Reissue with Skipton, Leeds and Fenny Stratford events added.

Fri 3^rd - Sat 4^th April - Easter Boat Gathering Tipton [Details awaited - possible CWDF Banter?]
Fri 3^rd - Mon 6^th April - Easter at Ellesmere Port

Sat 2^nd - Mon 4^th May – Canalway Cavalcade, London

Sat 2^nd - Mon 4^th May – Skipton Canal Festival

Sat 9^th - Sun 10^th May - Coombeswood Canal Trust Open Weekend

Fri 15^th - Sun 17^th May – BCNS Summer Boat gathering - Titford Pumphouse
Fri 15^th - Sun 17^th May – Alvechurch Beer and Boat Festival
Sat 16^th - Sun 17^th May – Rickmansworth Festival

Sat 23^rd - Sun 24^th May – BCNS 24 hour Marathon Challenge

Sat 23^rd - Mon 25^th May – Crick Boat Show

Sat 30^th - Sun 31^st May - Etruria Canal Festival
Sat 30^th - Sun 31^st May - IWA Trail Boat Festival - Lancaster Canal

Fri 12^th June [start] - Worcester Canal Festival [No details on duration]
Fri 12^th - Sun 14^th June – Stoke Bruerne Family Festival
Sat 13^th June - Reading Waterfest

Fri 19^th - Sun 21^st June - Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival

Sat 27th - Sun 28th June – Braunston Historic Boats
Sat 27th June - Leeds Waterfront Festival

Fri 3^rd - Sun 5^th July - Ware Boat Festival
Sat 4^th - Sun 5^th July - Stratford River Festival

Fri 10th - Sun 12th July - Kings Norton Festival

Sat 11th - Sun 12th July - Cosgrove Canal Festival & Craft Fair

Sat 18^th - Sun 19^th July - Blackburn Canal Festival

[GUESS] Late July - Linslade Canal Festival
Sat 25^th - Sun 26th July - Audlem Festival of Transport

Sat 8^th - Sun 9^th August - Blisworth Canal Festival

Thu 13^th - Sat 15^th August - Fairport's Cropredy Convention
Sat 15^th August - Hillmorton Free Fun Event - Multiple anniversaries.
Sun 16^th August - Fenny Stratford Boat Festival

Sat 29^th - Mon 31^st August - IWA Festival of Water - Northampton
[REVISED GUESS] Sat 29^th - Mon Sep 31^st - Alvecote Historic Boat Gathering

[GUESS] Sat 5^th - Sun 6^th September - Shackerstone Festival

Sat 12^th – Sun 13^th September - Stoke Bruerne Village at War

Sat 19^th to Sun 20^th September - Tipton Community Canal Festival
Sat 19^th to Sun 20^th September - Huddlesford Heritage Gathering

[GUESS] Sat 26^th - Sun 27^th September - BCLM Working Boat Gathering