Yesterday marked the day that a region in the West Midlands, was recognised nationally for its culture, heritage and history.
As July 14 is the annual ‘Black Country Day,’ a series of events took place to celebrate the occasion, with an inaugural music fest branding at Himley Park saw a handpicked line up to reflect the raw talent and unique voices emerging from across the region. The event was set to be a feast for music fans who flocked in their hundreds to soak up the atmosphere of a full day of up to 80 live performances, with plenty of food and drinks on hand for all.
In Dudley, the Black Country Flag was raised over the council house as part of the ongoing Black Country Festival, now in its 11th year. Meanwhile, the town’s central Library hosted the ever-popular ‘Black Country Bloke,’ John Homer, who took the opportunity to talk about what makes the region unique.
Also on hand was Black Country Radio and Busketeers Tim Martin and Billy Spakemon, who performed songs from the area for the audience to participate in sing-alongs. As celebrations continue, tomorrow (Wednesday, July 16) in Stourbridge Library, author and local historian, Ned Williams, will be giving an illustrated talk entitled ‘Stourbridge on Wheels’, which focusses on how road and rail transport have served Stourbridge over the years.
A fourth and final event also takes place tomorrow, at 2pm, at Brierley Hill Library, while Kevin Goodman, known as the ‘Time Travelling Medicine Man,’ will be exploring the deadly diseases that affected the Black Country during the Victorian 1890-1900 era. GLL Library Manager Sharon Whitehouse said: "Black Country Day is part of the month-long Black Country Festival, and we’re delighted to be playing our part in the celebrations.
“All the events are free, and booking is strongly recommended.” Councillor Damian Corfield, Cabinet Member for Communities, added: “Black Country Day has firmly become part of the events calendar and it’s great to see our libraries getting involved with these fascinating events about some of the area’s lesser-known history.”
The Mayor of Dudley, Pete Lee, added: "I was delighted to see the Black Country Flag flying over the council house, as we celebrated Black Country Day.
“There have been tons of fantastic events and activities across the Black Country these past two weeks and there are lots more coming up for people to enjoy.” The event, held on 14 July each year, have been marked for over a decade to honour the history, heritage and culture of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
Louise Harrison, Mayor of Walsall, said that the day was an opportunity to celebrate the region's "incredible role in shaping the modern world". July 14 was chosen for its historical significance and coincides with the creation of the world's first successful steam engine, invented by Thomas Newcomen in Dudley in 1712.
Throughout July, events and activities are taking place across the region as part of the celebrations. Black Country Day runs alongside the Black Country Festival, which takes place throughout the month of July and features dozens of ‘bostin’ events, musicals and festivals.
