Countdown as Shrewsbury's DarwIN Festival continues to evolve

The festival will see more than 30 free events taking place around Shrewsbury to encourage people to follow Darwin’s lead to be curious and think independently.

Events will run from February 8 to 24, with a promise of something to suit all tastes and all ages.

Aleks Vladimirov, partnerships manager at Shrewsbury BID which co-ordinates the festival, said: “There are a wide variety of events with many people working in groups or individually to cover just about anything Darwin related.

“It’s the ideal opportunity to learn everything there is to know about Darwin and celebrate his life and achievements.

“They have worked really hard to put everything in place for the start of the festival and it looks like being a hugely impressive event once again. Because it’s being held over more than a fortnight, the festival also gives visitors the opportunity to look around our wonderful town and see what Shrewsbury has to offer.

“We are immensely proud of our town and the DarwIN festival allows us to showcase Shrewsbury to a wide audience, with the excellent prospects of them returning in the future.”

Among the events is an exhibition about Darwin’s early life being held by Shrewsbury Civic Society at The Bear Steps Gallery from February 11 throughout the month, which will include a life-size figure of Darwin with which people can have their photo taken.

There is also a Darwin-themed wild play for youngsters on February 20 where children can discover and learn about wildlife that would have fascinated Darwin.

Prizes

The final of the Shropshire Young Thinkers’ Competition marks the beginning of the festival on February 8 where youngsters aged 7-16 will be finding out who has won some amazing prizes - including a helicopter flight.

More than 500 children have submitted entries in the form of a letter to Darwin, trying to get him to take a journey into the past, present or future in the real or imaginary world. The hundreds of entries will be reduced to just 20 finalists who will be performing live at the University Centre Shrewsbury on the night.

Guided tours of Darwin’s childhood in Shrewsbury will be held on six days, with the tour starting from St Chad’s Church and concentrating on the areas of the town which acted as his inspiration.

The festival will also be playing host to Darwin’s great, great, great, granddaughter Gwen Burnyeat who will be giving a talk on the Colombian peace process from 2012 to 2016. The talk, ‘peace pedagogy’ takes place on February 22.

For more information about the events being held during the festival, visit originalshrewsbury.co.uk/darwin-shrewsbury-festival

DarwIN Shrewsbury Festival highlights:

There are more than 30 events planned for the DarwIN Shrewsbury Festival which kicks off next month. These include:

• February 8 - Shropshire Young Thinkers’ Competition, University Centre Shrewsbury.

• February 9 - Climate change, Evolution, Deniers and Anti Science, Shrewsbury Unitarian Church, 2.30pm-3.30pm.

• February 9-11 - Guided tours of Darwin’s Childhood in Shrewsbury, St Chad’s Church, 11am.

• February 9 - Darwin Park Run, The Quarry at 9am.

• February 9 - Mr Darwin’s Tree, Shrewsbury Unitarian Church, 7.30pm.

• February 10 - Darwin Memorial Lecture, Theatre Severn 2.30pm.

• February 10 - In the Footsteps of Giants: The True origin of the Wrekin, University Centre Shrewsbury, 4pm.

• February 11 - Shrewsbury Big Town Plan: The Evolution of Shrewsbury, 6pm (venue to be arranged).

• February 12 - Launch of Friends of The Mount - Darwin’s Childhood Home, Shrewsbury School, 12pm.

• February 12 - Darwin’s Birthday Toast and Tour

• February 13 - Compassionate Town Workshop, Shrewsbury Unitarian Church, 6.30pm.

• February 16 - Darwin’s Nemesis? The Interesting Case of Alfred Russel Wallace, Abbeygate Hall, 3pm.

• February 16-18 - Guided tours of Darwin’s Childhood in Shrewsbury, St Chad’s Church, 11am.

• February 18 - Darwin and the Invisible gardener: Perspectives on Science and Faith, Shrewsbury Cahtedral, 7pm.