NEW FESTIVAL BOOSTS BUXTON?
BOROUGH COUNCIL WELCOMES NEW ADVENTURE FESTIVAL & OUTDOOR RETAILERS?
+ NEW VISIT PEAK DISTRICT & DERBYSHIRE WALKING FESTIVAL
?+ DERBY UNI BUXTON & DERBYSHIRE VILLAGE GAMES FAMILY ACTIVITIES?
Momentum is gathering behind the new Buxton Adventure Festival (Oct 20-21). There will be ten speakers and thirty films over the weekend at the Pavilion Arts Centre, part of Buxton Opera House.
Sponsors Derby University, Buxton have announced Everest mountaineer Kenton Cool will formally open their new Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre on the the eve of the festival.
High Peak Borough Council are keen to harness the weekend to promote their new strategy to attract outdoors retailers such as festival retail sponsor Hawkshead to the town ahead of the transformation of the Georgian Crescent in to a luxury hotel and spa.
Tourist board Visit Peak District & Derbyshire are launching a new Walk & Watch Festival with a dozen guided walks across the Peak District.
And to complement the festival?s two special ?Young Adventurer? sessions with Paralympian Maddie Thompson and stunt mountain biker Danny Butler the University of Derby, Buxton and Derbyshire Village Games are teaming up to put on afternoon activities for children and families of all ages.
Leader of High Peak Borough Council, Cllr Caitlin Bisknell says: ?I?m delighted that the organisers have chosen Buxton as the setting for their new adventure festival. Their decision recognises the town?s ideal location at the heart of the Peak District, as well as its first-rate event venues in the shape of the Pavilion Gardens, Pavilion Arts Centre, Opera House and Devonshire Dome. ?The timing is ideal for us as it coincides with our push to attract retailers specialising in outdoor sports and leisure equipment as part of our campaign to bring new shops into Buxton?.
Melanie Verby, Countryside and Hawkshead Retail Support Manager, said: ?Hawkshead is delighted to support the Adventure Festival. Come along to our brand new store and on production of our advert in the Buxton Adventure Festival programme, receive money off a wide range of outdoor gear. There will be fun for all the family at the store on the 20th October.?
David James, Chief Executive of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, the area?s official tourist board said: ?The Peak District?s profile as England?s Great Outdoors has never been higher thanks to the huge range of activities and pursuits on offer amid its superb and specially-protected landscapes. ?Walking is one of the most popular reasons why visitors come here, and we?re delighted that this year, for the first time, we are able to stage a two-day Peak District Walking Festival in the autumn. Not only will it coincide with the exciting new Buxton Adventure Festival on October 20 and 21, it will also complement the well-established spring Peak District Walking Festival and a string of similar events held in other parts of the area each spring and autumn.?
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Images: High resolution Buxton University Outdoor Pursuits Centre and Kenton Cool photos are here: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjBMkvqE. For Buxton Adventure Festival images (web res and high res) visit our press room: http://www.buxtonadventurefestival.co.uk/press.html
When? Saturday 20 - Sunday 21 October 2012?
Where? Pavilion Arts Centre, part of the Buxton Opera House?
Tickets? From Buxton Opera House. Adults: £10 for 1 session (or multi-buy savers - £18 for 2, £24 for 3, £28 for 4, £30 for 5) Full Time Students & Under 16s: £5 for 1 session (or multi-buy savers - £9 for 2, £12 for 3, £14 for 4, £15 for 5).
?Family saver ticket: (2 adults and 2 under 16s): £20
?www.buxtonadventurefestival.co.uk
VPDD Walk & Watch Festival details here: http://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/events/pd-walk-fest-2011.aspx
More about the festival:
The festival programme of illustrated lectures followed by short films will be packed with speakers from the world of adventure, travel, photography and sport. Headline speakers include 2011 downhill mountain bike World Champion Danny Hart (interviewed by ITV Cycle Show presenter Anna Glowinski) and the Queen?s Olympic Opening Ceremony stunt-double Gary Connery who this summer became the first person to jump from a helicopter without a parachute.
The weekend feature some of Derbyshire?s finest adventurers and athletes including Derby born adventurer Squash Falcolner who climbed Everest and was the first British woman to paraglide from the top of Mont Blanc. There?ll be talks from Bamford?s internationally renowned travel photographer John Beatty and Belper writer Gordon Stainforth - who?ll be talking about his latest book ?Fiva - An Adventure that Went Wrong? chronicling he and his twin brother?s brush with death on a teenage climbing expedition. Other speakers include author of cult fell running book ?Feet in the Clouds? Richard Askwith (interviewed by adventure sports writer Nik Cook); Director of the Outdoors Swimming Society, Kate Rew; and award-winning cave-diver and film-maker Gavin Newman.
And on Saturday and Sunday mornings they?ll be two special Young Adventurer sessions with stunt mountain biker Danny Butler and Castleton?s very own 17 year old Paralympic wheelchair basketballer Maddie Thompson, fresh back from the 2012 Games, followed by an afternoon of activities.
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