On Saturday, October 26, the year of Sharpness 150 events reaches a colourful climax with the Sharpness 150 Celebration.

Commemorating the 1874 opening of the Sharpness New Dock, 2024's final event will be open from 12 noon to 5pm at the Sharpness Sports and Social Club, at Sharpness Docks, GL13 9UN.

A re-enactment in sounds and pictures: The Sharpness 150 Celebration kicks off with a dramatisation of the ceremony that saw the first ships enter the New Dock. Whilst the old the Gloucester Journal reported the occasion, the speeches were not recorded - so the Sharpness 150 team has reimagined them, presented as a striking rendition in words and images.

To properly set the scene, members of the Sharpness 150 team will be wearing fashionable Victorian attire, suitable for a momentous celebration!

New displays and talks: The Celebration offers the chance to see Sharpness artefacts never previously exhibited, rare photos, the acclaimed Sharpness 150 timeline, a new set of guest speakers, plus SVTEC's Waller stationary engine at work.

Win an appetising prize!: Visitors who complete a short Sharpness 150 survey will be entered into a prize draw for a basket packed with delicious Christmas treats.

Admission and parking are free, and the Sharpness Sports and Social Club bar will be open for food and drinks throughout the event.

Join us in creating a legacy: Throughout 2024, Sharpness 150 events have brought together local communities and visitors to celebrate the past, present and future of Sharpness docks, its industries and the many personal stories they have helped to shape.

The Sharpness 150 Team is building an online resource to preserve generations of Sharpness stories and is eager to help community members create their own local events to build on the legacy of Sharpness 150.

Sharpness 150 is a multi-organisation initiative led by volunteers from the Vale of Berkeley and the Stroud Vintage Engine and Transport Club (SVTEC), with support from the Gloucester Harbour Trust, the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub, Canal & River Trust, local councils and historians. We welcome involvement from local communities, businesses, visitor attractions, other organisations and charities.