The force will be strong in Coleford, check as the whole community comes together on the fourth of May to celebrate the town’s connection to the Star Wars movie ‘The Force Awakens’.
The film features the stunning backdrop of Puzzlewood, one of the Forest of Dean’s most famous tourist attractions. The Star Wars blockbuster has significantly increased visitors to the unique and enchanting woodland, on the outskirts of Coleford.
The ‘May the Fourth’ event has been funded by Coleford Town Council and supported by the District Council, to encourage the whole community to come together with the aim of attracting visitors to the town centres in a bid to boost the local economy.
Visitors to the town on the 4May, can expect a full ‘Star Wars’ themed experience; decorated shop fronts and shop traders in fancy dress, as well as a range of themed giveaways, services and special offers. From the local butchers offering ‘Dark Vader sausages’ and ‘Chew Baccy’ burgers, to a salon offering nail art and themed hand-treatments.
On the day there will be a fancy dress parade through the town and prize giving supported by Coleford Town Council.
For fans of the Star Wars film, the Studio Cinema will bring the event to a fitting close with a one-off showing of ‘The Force Awakens.’
In preparation for the event, a Star Wars costume making workshop will take place at the Forest Activities Festival at Speech house on Sunday 24 April.
Cllr Nick Penny said: “I am delighted that so many of the town centre traders and residents will be coming together to offer real diversity to the ‘May the Fourth’ event.”
“The original idea for the event came from Glen Webb at Steve Gooch Estate Agents and Coleford Town Council has provided the funding to bring the town’s people together for an inspiring day that is both exciting and enjoyable, but also beneficial to our local economy. I believe that the success of any small town is reliant on finding new ways to encourage visitors, by building strong local partnerships and in gaining the support of the community as a whole. The ‘May the Fourth’ event is a fantastic example of how a community driven initiative can bring new visitors to the town.”
Cllr Patrick Molyneux, Leader of the Forest of Dean District Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Market Towns and Tourism added: “We are pleased to join with the Town Council to support Coleford’s ‘May the Fourth’ event. Encouraging people into our towns will help local businesses to thrive and will give our economy a boost. We urge everyone to get involved with ideas and initiatives to make the day special for the town and for visitors to our area.”
Ian Officer, Chairman of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism Association said: “We are delighted that Coleford is taking such a proactive role in developing the tourism offer in the area, first with the opening of the TIC and now with the May the 4th celebrations. This makes the area more vibrant and exciting for visitors and locals alike. We have seen increased visitor numbers following the launch of Star Wars and have worked hard to maximise the impact. To see our partners also grasping this opportunity further underpins the importance of focus and partnership working. Coleford has our full support and as always we will work closely with the town council and tourist information centre to raise the profile of this event.”