onionbagblog

Seeing as though most searches for m’blog over the past fortnight have found their way over here looking for ‘wivenhoe+fireworks+2011‘ - I thought I better well blog all about ‘wivenhoe+fireworks+2011.’

Yep - almost that time of year again. Saturday 29th October sees THE social event in the congested Wivenhoe calendar down by the Quay. The Wivenhoe Ocean Racing Club’s absolutely ACE fireworks evening will be starting at 6:45pm with the children’s Halloween fancy dress. The big bang is scheduled for 8pm.

@AnnaJCowen and I were but a month into our Year in Wivenhoe some twelve months ago. M’blog was making that much needed transition from the messy world of hyperlocal Lambeth politics [urgh] to North Essex estuary life [hurrah!]

Most traffic was coming my way via searches for ‘New+Labour+sell+outs+Lambeth‘ etc. And then almost overnight, I seemed to pick up a Wivenhoe audience, having videoed and posted up online the wonderful WORC fireworks display.

I haven’t looked back, Comrades.

Of course I made the schoolboy error of confusing the most amazing organisation on the evening as the work of the fine Sailing Club and not WORC, who very kindly put on the fireworks by the Quay.

Apologies once again - we’re not from London, y’know…

There is a serious side to all the ooohing and ahhhing that I guarantee will take place this weekend in Wivenhoe. WORC isn’t so great at ocean racing, but instead carries out some incredible work in fundraising for the Wivenhoe Royal British Legion.

The fireworks display is free, but generous contributions in the buckets being passed around will be very well received. You can also buy a luminous wristband for £2 in advance this year, indicating on the night that you have already offered up your support. These should be available from local traders down towards the Quay.

As for the display itself? Having been let down back in Lambeth with the cancellation of the Brockwell Park Big Daddy of all displays (cuts and the blame game…) I was expecting maybe a box of fireworks from Sainsburys being let off by some old boy sitting outside the Rose and Crown.

How wrong I was.

The Quayside fireworks of last autumn were the most spectacular that I have witnessed. The location is stunning - you have the natural safety barrier of the Colne, with the fireworks being let off on the Rowhedge side of the river. Plus the water itself offers up a beautiful reflection for all those illuminations. Sadly low water is around 8:30pm this weekend.

Our friends from the Rose and Crown will no doubt be doing a roaring trade. My tip is to take a hip flask, *just in case* a queue of five deep forms as the big banger is about to be let loose.

Chin Chin.

Plus: The Broad Lane fireworks planned for the same evening have rather sensibly now been cancelled. In case you can’t make the WORC spectacular, you can do it all again up at Broomgrove a week later.

Plus Plus: Some timely advice and help from the lovely Pet Shop Girls down at the Business Centre.

Plus Plus Plus: the view from A Boat for my Potplants.

Plus Plus Plus Plus Moving Image are screening the vampire movie Let Me In, scheduled to start at 9pm at the Philip Road Centre to coincide with the fireworks.