Brilliant Barrow Weekend to feature return of Soapbox Derby

The Brilliant Barrow Weekend, a Barrow BID event in partnership with BAE Systems and Westmorland and Furness Council, will take place from Friday, August 16, to Sunday, August 18, with a range of activities planned.

The Dock Museum will host a Victorian-themed day on the Friday, with sideshow games, a sand sculpture competition, and performances by acrobatic sailors.

The sailors will perform their slapstick routine at the Dock Museum's brand new amphitheatre.

BarrowFull will provide walk around Victorian actors who will be telling tales of what it was like to live through the Victorian era.

Victorian Promenade takes place at the Dock Museum (Image: Supplied)

The theme of the sand sculpture competition will be Piel (castle) and seals.

A free vintage park and ride service will be in operation from Furness College car park.

Saturday will see the return of the Soapbox Derby, with karts racing down Dalton Road from around 10am, and a live music stage set up for bands and DJs from the area to perform into the evening.

The ramp will be located at the top of Dalton Road, outside of the Entertainer, with the pits situated behind the structure.

This enables the public to view and interact with the teams and their karts during the day.

A large TV screen will be located at the top of Portland Walk to allow people to see more of the action, and the GrimeFighters splash zone is set to make a return.

An accessible viewing area will also be found on Portland Walk, featuring ramped access, ample space, and helpful volunteers.

The fun will continue on the Sunday at the Quayside Festival, with stalls celebrating Barrow's maritime heritage, a jet-ski freestyle show, and performances by Professor Pumpernickel and Boom Dang.

The Brilliant Barrow Weekend begins on Friday (Image: Supplied)

Attendees should also look out for the mermaid who finds herself out of Buccleuch Dock for one day only, waiting to greet people on dry land.

Jenny Fazackerlay, chair of Barrow BID, said: "Following the success of previous Soapbox events, it is great for this year’s race to be returning as part of the expanded Brilliant Barrow Weekend.

"The aim of the weekend is to showcase Barrow as a visitor destination, with events such as the Soapbox Derby also delivering a huge economic impact to our town’s businesses and creating a sense of pride within our community."

The free events will take place between Friday and Sunday (Image: Supplied)

James Perks, head of future workforce strategy at BAE Systems Submarines, said: "BAE Systems Submarines is proud to sponsor the Brilliant Barrow Weekend.

"It will showcase Barrow at its brightest, celebrating everything that makes the town a perfect place to live, work and play."

For more information on the events, or to register a team for the Soapbox Derby, visit barrowbid.co.uk/soapbox.