Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Celebration & Underneath The Arches Event Returns

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Canal celebrates its 5th anniversary of being a UNESCO World Heritage site this summer, and ‘Underneath the Arches’ returns.

Tomorrow sees the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Canal celebrate 5 years since UNESCO inscribed the 11-mile site as a World Heritage Site. When UNESCO added the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal to its World Heritage List in 2009 – a list that includes the Taj Mahal, The Pyramids and the Great Wall of China – it meant Wrexham had officially joined the world’s elite.

Built across the River Dee, the 126ft tall Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a popular navigational and walking route, still welcoming thousands of canal boats and global visitors each year. The increased number of tourists visiting the area since 2009 indicates how important the World Heritage Site is to Wrexham and the UK, with Wrexham’s Tourism industry today claimed to be worth just short of £100m.

Janine Beggan, World Heritage Site Coordinator for Wrexham County Borough Council said: “Since 2009, we have been busy in the area regenerating and improving the visitor welcome within the site – with spend until the end of last financial year totalling over £5.5million. The improvements have varied considerably from extending and re-opening the existing visitor centre at Trevor Basin, to signage at Chirk and Ruabon Stations, installing digital information kiosks, car and coach parking improvements and over 18km of towpath improvements to extend the dwell time of visitors.”

The Aqueduct is also to provide the backdrop to the excellent ‘Underneath The Arches’ event again this summer.

Underneath the Arches 2014 is being held on Friday 11th July (6.30pm – 11.00pm).

For those who missed it last time around this celebration night is a festival of music, local food and light – set under the fantastic backdrop of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The general rule is to bring some friends, a picnic, a camera and settle down for an evening of great live entertainment, spectacular scenery and a fantastic time. Those who have been before will
remember there is a fabulous illuminated aqueduct and firework finale with a few extra surprises!

Joe Bickerton, Destination Manager at Wrexham County Borough Council said: “We have worked hard with the fantastic support of the Nightingale House Hospice fundraising team and Tourism Partnership North Wales to stage the event this year.

“Acrefair Football Club have also been tremendous supporters by handing over their pitch for the evening. The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Canal World Heritage Site is a major driver for tourism in Wrexham and we are honoured to have it inscribed alongside iconic worldwide
destinations, therefore an annual celebration event is very fitting.

“The feedback from last year’s event was superb as it was an evening of family friendly entertainment and a spectacular light show from EMF Technology.”

Nightingale House Hospice and Wrexham County Borough Council will jointly stage this event, with £1 from every ticket purchased going to support the hospice in Wrexham.

Live music this year comes from the Big Beat, Rhythm Train, Luke Gallagher and the Avenues with Wrexham’s local radio station Calon FM being the Master of Ceremonies.

Advance tickets are available at a reduced price of £5 (until 30th June), increasing to £10 after 1st July and on the evening (£5 U16’s). In addition, advance ticket holders will also receive a £5 discount voucher to access the Llangollen Eisteddfod showground during the week leading up to the 11th July.

Tickets are available online at www.underthearches.co.uk or in person from the Wrexham Tourist Information Centre, the Aqueduct Inn (Froncysyllte) and the Anglo-Welsh booking office at Trevor Basin.

You can read our mini write up from last years event with some pictures here.