A FESTIVAL to celebrate Halesowen’s heritage and industry will light up the town centre this April – and there is the chance for YOU to get involved in producing a piece of history.

Halesfest is the brainchild of a host of different organisations in the town and will take place in Somers Square on Saturday, April 6.

One of the aims of the Lottery-funded festival is to produce seven artwork mosaics that represent the town’s proud history and will be installed at locations dotted around Halesowen – and it is hoped the first of those will be unveiled on the day.

As our artist's impression shows, one of the mosaics will feature the landmark St John's Church in Halesowen town centre - but the other six designs are being kept under wraps.

The mosaics that will decorate the town are being designed by artist Victoria Harrison – but there is the chance for community groups to help mould them.

Halesowen College will hold three community days at the end of April and start of May where visitors can help to produce the mosaics.

Victoria will host two sessions each day from Tuesday, April 30 to Thursday, May 2, from 10am-12.30pm and 1-3pm.

The sessions will be limited to eight people per class – call Jamie Green at the college on 0121 602 7670 or email jgreen@halesowen.ac.uk for more details.

In addition, eight small discs displaying different varieties of mushroom – a nod to the town’s famous fungi – have already been commissioned to produce an ‘Enchanted Trail’ for people to follow that will be completed later this summer.

The planned trail follows the news that Leasowes Park has been granted SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) status due to its rare fungi, as reported recently in the Halesowen News.

Eve O'Connor, chair of Halesowen In Bloom, said: “We are blooming delighted to celebrate Leasowes park achieving SSSIs for the rare fungi in the form of a trail.

"We were successful with Lottery bid to fund the project and we are so pleased that the community will have the opportunity to be involved with making of them.” 

While the mosaics and fungi trail are an ongoing project, the initial Halesfest event in April also has much to offer.

It will feature entertainment on offer for young and old, including a choral performance and the visit of Upsy Daisy from popular children’s television programme In The Night Garden.

Halesfest is a collaboration involving several organisations, including Halesowen In Bloom, Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club, Halesowen BID (Business Improvement District), Halesowen College and others.

Barry Wheeler, of the Rotary club and the BID, said: “HalesFest gives the whole of the community of our town the chance to get involved with something quite unique – something that can never be imitated anywhere else.”