Back in 2003, Neil Fury wondered if there would be anyone interested in having a Brass Band Festival in Telford. He did not keep the idea to himself but floated it to a number of colleagues in the brass band world and wider contacts After several meetings and countless phone calls, it was agreed that the answer was ‘yes’; the ball was set rolling and quickly gained momentum.

Since its inception in 2004, the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival has developed into a major annual event in the World Heritage Site calendar. Having outgrown its original site in Jackfield, in 2009 the event moved to the Museum of Iron in Coalbrookdale. Its main purpose is the provision of an open-air festival each year in July that comprises two full days of high quality, free, live brass band music as well as a youth music workshop on the Friday that serves to introduce the festival to school students from the area as well as providing them with high quality tuition and guidance.

The originators of the festival set out with the aim of establishing it as a premier, free, non-competitive event that would be highly regarded in the brass band world as well as making brass band music accessible to members of the public. This is increasingly essential as the traditional Sunday afternoon brass band music in park bandstands becomes more and more rare.

For many of the participant musicians, particularly those from community bands it provides a valuable opportunity to join with others in a music-making festival that has no competitive aspect, but that enables them to make comparative self-assessment of their own performances and examine ways in which they can improve them. The festival showcases all levels of skill and performance; the bands involved range from those with a high national profile to struggling local bands, some of whom rely on guest players from other bands at the festival to participate. In many respects, the initial aims have been met as is indicated by the level of support both locally and from across the country but there is still much to do.

In 2011, as a response to the fact that the Gorge was celebrating twenty-five years as a world heritage site the Festival Committee commissioned a new piece of music by Matthew Hall to be played for the first time at the festival. This was extremely well received and it is our aim to repeat this by inviting budding young composers to submit pieces with a view to their inclusion in the programme for this and each subsequent year.

While never losing sight of the primary aim, the Festival also hosts a Charity concert, promoted by the Ironbridge Festival Charity Concert Trust, which has raised steadily increasing sums for the chosen charity, The Severn Hospice Trust. This has resulted in sums ranging from £2000 to £4500 being donated each year by the Concert Trust to Severn Hospice and the Festival Committee is proud of its role in facilitating this event.

In the first year - 2005, there were 8 bands and £1,000.00 was raised for the Hospice Appeal.

In 2006 we had 11 bands and £2,200.00 was raised for the Appeal.

The Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival 2007 was a fantastic success with a record number of bands participating and, despite the awful weather, visitor numbers which were well up on the previous year. The festival also raised over £2,000.00 for Severn Hospice.

2008 was another wonderful success thank to all the wonderful bands giving of their time and expertise we were able to raise the sum of £2,500.00 for the Severn Hospice.

2009 The best year yet. Last Night of the proms tickets were sold out before the concert.

2010 Raised £4500 this year

2011 £2800 raised this year

2012 Just over £2000 raised