Chester

The 82 decorated Rhinos have made onto the streets of Chester and some further afield. The largest number are to be found in the city centre and are easily found on foot with the aid of the location map that can be downloaded from the Rhino Mania website or picked up in Chester Tourist Information in Town Hall Square.

Created by public art company Wild in Art. The designs on each of the 60 kg 6ft long fibreglass Rhinos have been created by local artists, community groups and schools, and the work sponsored by local businesses and organisations. In addition more than a hundred smaller Rhinos have been decorated by local schools.

Work is underway on the mural that will decorate the wall crossing Chester's roman Amphitheatre. Mural artist Gary Drostle from Woowich, London has completed murals of Roman Britain before when he created a vision of the now largely lost Roman Wall of London in the branch of Starbucks on London Wall. The intention is to depict what the amphitheatres currently hidden half would have looked like and how the building as a whole would have been through the ages up to the present day.

Chester's Rhino Mania event was launched on the Racecourse in front of 300 invited guests on Thursday 1st July 2010. Prior to the placement of the 62 large Rhinos around the city and at travel gateways further afield. The Rhino Mania event itself begins on 5th July and runs until the 12 September. A leaflet is available showing the locations of the artwork and people are encouraged to go and see as many as possible and to sample the delights of the rest of the city as they do so.

A 30 minute musical version of Noah's Flood from the Chester Mystery Plays. Last performed in 2008. The 1997 performance was performed by 200 people. Taking place in the newly refurbished amphitheatre it was a fitting, if not a little dusty, place for the production to take place. The Mystery plays are a melting pot of religion and everyday life. Originating in the Middle Ages they were street plays full of humour.

The Chester Midsummer Watch parade dates back to 1498 and took place in the years between performances of the Chester Mystery Plays. The 1564 procesion is said to have included:

4 gyants, 1 unikorne, 1 dromodarye, 1 luce, 1 camell, 1 dragon, 6 hobbyhorses and 16 naked boys

The parades were continued until the late 17th century and revived in 1995 as a major event in the city calendar.

Chester's Roman Weekend started the cities summer festival of music and events. With a living village in Grosvenor Park. Military displays and Gladiator combat in the amphitheatre. Dancing in the Town Hall Square, exhibitions and talks in the Grosvenor museum and on both days a march from St John's Church, through the rows to the Town Hall where a proclamation was made from the Town Hall steps.

The first ever Chester Marathon took place on the spring bank holiday, May 31st 2010. Following a route that took runners along the pathway that now covers the track bed of the old Mickel Trafford to Hawarden Bridge railway. With a loop at the Mickle Trafford/Guilden Sutton end and another around the Corus Steel works at the other. Start and finish lines were at Chester Rugby Club in Hare Lane, Littleton, Chester. The finish being in front of the clubs stand. The majority of the route being totally traffic free and largely in a rural setting.

In marked contrast to the rainy days of the May Festival.  Chester Racecourse played host to the Roman Day weekend family oriented event on May 22nd, in glorious sunshine. The event featured Roman Centurians, Chariot racing, The Devils Horsemen stunt riding and fairground rides and bouncy castles on the open course.

The hot sunny weather made it a picnic day and with cars allowed onto the open course many took advantage and enjoyed the day with a barbecue. Creating the strange sight of plumes of smoke rising through the crowds.

Here is a selection of Chester Races Roman Day photographs.

Guitarist Andy Martin performing in Eastgate Street, Chester. Andy is frequently to be foumd playing in and around the rows.

A set of Chester Regatta Photographs taken on the 8th of May 2010.

Chester Regatta can trace it's origins back to 1733 when rowing races were held amongst fishermen on the Dee. Rowing in coracles and fishing boats the races became popular in the 18th century. In 1829, when the first Oxford-Cambridge boat race was run, Chester Regatta was the only established rowing race in the country.

Here is another set of Chester Funfair pictures. These photos were taken on Mayday bank holiday afternoon when the fair was open to the public.

The second day of Chester Races May Festival, The Boodles sponsored Lady's Day, got off to a damp start. The street vendors stalls on Foregate Street, approaching the city centre, had sprouted impressive displays of umberellas. Early arrivals could be seen walking up City road from the railway station in their race going finery. Many unprepared for the early and persistent rain.

Located on Tower Wharf, Chester, at the opposite end to popular dinking establishment, Telford's Wharehouse, is the grade 2 listed Taylors Boatyard. A curiosity, seen from the opposite bank of the Shropshire Union Canal. Beneath it's girdered canopy is a cornucopia of boats and boating bits and pieces. For some time now this complex of buildings has been up for lease and Britsh Waterways have decided to renovate the buildings using sympathetic materials where appropriate. The proposed work is to take place over the next few years. This follows an attempt in 2008 to preserve the boatyard.

Abode have opened the latest in their chain of designer hotels in the prestigious HQ Building. Overlooking the racecourse and the River Dee with open views to the Welsh hills beyond. The hotel includes a Michael Caines Restaurant on the fifth floor, a Bar and Grill on the ground floor with alfresco eating in the courtyard of this circular building and a late night lounge bar. Opened in time for the opening of the Chester race season. The hotel has splendid views across Chester Racecourse.

Chester's annual May bank holiday Chester Races Funfair arrived on Thursday 29th April for the week leading up to Chester Racecourse's first racing event of the 2010 season. Occupying the "Little Rodee" car park alongside Grosvenor Bridge. The Funfair is part of the touring season of Pat Collins Funfairs and runs until the 8th May.