THERE was a festival atmosphere as hundreds of people celebrated the 150th anniversary of Kidderminster Town Hall with a colourful parade through the streets of the town.
An open air ecumenical service was held at Weavers Wharf following Sunday's parade, led by civic and church leaders.
More than 500 people took part in the celebrations and hundreds of helium-filled balloons with the message, God Bless Kidderminster, printed on them were handed out.
Crowds celebrate hall's anniversary
HUNDREDS of people joined together to mark the 150th anniversary of Kidderminster Town Hall with a church parade and an open-air songs of praise service.
Leading clergy from all the major Christian denominations in the town were represented at the ecumenical service, held at Weavers Wharf on Pentecost Sunday.
The celebration started at St Mary's Parish Church, where 150 helium-filled balloons with the message God Bless Kidderminster were shared out among the huge crowd, estimated at between 500 and700-strong.
Church banners specially designed for the occasion were carried at the front of the procession of civic and church leaders and worshippers, who were accompanied by the band of the Boys' and Girls' Brigades through the town to the open space by De Bradelei Mill.
Canon Owain Bell, of St Mary's Church, said: "There was a real sense of delight, a really happy occasion with something to celebrate."
Dignitaries included Kidderminster mayor, councillor Siri Hayward, the Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Rev Dr Peter Selby, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham and the Most Rev Vincent Nicholls, along with leaders from The Salvation Army, the Baptist Church and the Methodist Church.
The Salvation Army Band played at the service, which included prayers for the life of the town and readings from the works of Kidderminster's famous 17th century evangelist, Richard Baxter.
A highlight of the event was the dedication by the congregation of a commemorative tablet of an engraved dove, which will be set into a wall at Weavers Wharf.
The celebration ended with the ceremonial release of the balloons - once the ribbons had been removed.
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