COMMUNITY events celebrating Brierley Hill's heritage and history are planned for forthcoming weekends.

The High Street will be closed on Saturday September 11 from 5am to 8pm for the annual Brier Fair and Heritage Open Day events and on Saturday September 18 the centenary of Marsh Park will be celebrated with a community ‘picnic in the park’ and ‘Brierley Hill Boogie’.

Brierley Hill Community Forum, Brierley Hill Market and the Friends of Marsh Park have organised the events with the help of Dudley Council as part of the town’s £1.8 million government-funded High Street Heritage Action Zone programme.

Councillor Simon Phipps, the council's cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: "We’re very fortunate to be one of the high streets in Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone scheme.

"We’re using this funding to make improvements to the public realm and properties along the High Street by investing in repairs, reinstatement of architectural details and bringing vacant floor space back into use.

"We’re also putting funding into local events such as the Brier Fair, Heritage Open Day and Marsh Park’s centenary picnic, all organised by fantastic local volunteers, as we want to support local communities through heritage, art and cultural projects."

The Brier Fair is free to attend and will run from 9am to 4pm.

It will include a funfair with children’s rides, market stalls, entertainment and punch and Judy Shows with a small charge for some of the attractions.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy free Heritage Open Day activities on the same day with a Peaky Blinders themed event with vintage cars and live entertainment at Brierley Hill Market from 8am to 4pm.

The Black County Living Museum will have a stall with a Marsh and Baxter’s theme offering traditional food from 10am to 3pm in the market.

Meanwhile, Top Church Training has arranged a ‘Food from around the world’ event at Harry’s Café from 9.30am to 4pm. Both events are part of the ‘Edible England’ theme for the 2021 Heritage Open Days.

Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company is also hosting a Peaky Blinders themed escape room event as part of the New Wave Programme and the library will offer an historic exhibition of artefacts and maps, with poetry workshops, badge-making and Maketon storytelling, from midday to 3pm.

A new town trail will be launched, offering a fresh walking tour of the town’s historic buildings.

Events will also take place at Hawbush Community Gardens where people can learn about growing their own food, St Mary’s Church where there will be a harp performance and organ recital from midday and at St Michael’s Church where there will be chance to paint stained glass and have a go a handbell ringing, sketching and model building.

Tim Sunter, chairman of Brierley Hill Community Forum, said: "This is very much a community-led event with volunteers from across the town coming together to provide a celebration of its history and to boost trade in the town.

"Feedback from the events two years ago were really positive and we hope this year’s event will be even better.”

On Saturday September 18, there will be celebrations for the Marsh Park Centenary.

The Friends of Marsh Park group will host a ‘picnic in the park’ marking 100 years since it first opened.

Everyone is welcome to attend, with people encouraged to share their memories of the park and its history.

Frank Chamberlain, chairman of the Friends of Marsh Park group, said: "It will be the park’s centenary later this year and a picnic in the park is being planned to mark the event. Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company will be joining us to host the ‘Brierley Hill Boogie’, which will be an afternoon of fitness and fun.

"Families will need bring their own picnic, but we will also be feeding those who use the Foodbank for free."

People can find out more about the events online at http://brierleyhill.net/ and www.heritageopendays.org.uk/ (search Brierley Hill) and about the BCLM Marsh and Baxter project at https://bclm.com/marsh-baxter/