Telford Day 2026
Telford Day is heading to Ironbridge Gorge for a weekend of celebrations - Saturday 28 November 2026 and Sunday 29 November 2026 | free to attend
Telford Day is heading to Ironbridge Gorge for a special weekend of celebrations, bringing communities from across the Borough together to celebrate everything we love about Telford and Wrekin.
Taking place from 12 noon to 8pm on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 2026, this year’s celebrations will also mark 40 years since Ironbridge Gorge was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, bringing together heritage, culture, creativity, community activities and Christmas festivities.
Across the weekend, residents and visitors can enjoy spectacular illuminations, community lanterns, live iron casting, festive markets, live music, family entertainment, heritage activities and plenty more.
Date: Saturday 29 November 2026 and Sunday 29 November 2026
Time: 12pm to 8pm each day
Location: Ironbridge Gorge
Cost: free
For enquiries about Telford Day or use of the Telford flag, please email lovetf@telford.gov.uk.
What is Telford Day?
Telford Day is our annual celebration of everything that makes Telford and Wrekin special.
Held on the anniversary of the formation of the New Town of Telford 1968, Telford Day is an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate our communities, our heritage, our green spaces, our businesses and the people who make our Borough such a great place to live, work and visit.
There’s plenty to see and do across the weekend, including:
a spectacular illuminated trail through Ironbridge Gorge
live iron casting demonstrations at Dale End Park
the Telford Day lantern garden featuring more than 100 community created lanterns
craft, food and drink stalls
a family fairground
live music and performances
Christmas Lantern Parade
Christmas lights switch on
fireworks
illuminated coracles on the River Severn
traditional crafts, heritage and nature activities.
Saturday 28 November 2026
On Saturday, the Wharfage will be transformed for a day of Telford Day and Christmas celebrations, with more than 100 craft, food and drink stalls, a family fairground in Merrythought Village and live entertainment.
As evening arrives, a Christmas lantern parade will bring together lanterns created by communities across the Borough, before the Christmas lights switch on and fireworks provide a spectacular finale to Saturday’s celebrations.
Sunday 29 November 2026
The celebrations continue on Sunday with activities showcasing the traditional skills, heritage and natural environment of Ironbridge Gorge.
The weekend will come to a close with a special evening finale featuring community lanterns, fire performances, live music, illuminated traditional Ironbridge coracles on the River Severn and the final iron pour reveal.
Telford Day lantern garden
Created by our communities
Community participation is at the heart of Telford Day and this year, more than 100 lanterns have been created through workshops held across the Borough, including Lawley, Oakengates, Sutton Hill, Ironbridge and Donnington.
Inspired by themes including ingenuity, engineering, iron smelting, the River Severn and the landscape of the Gorge, the lanterns will come together to form the Telford Day Lantern Garden.
They will also feature in the weekend’s celebrations, connecting communities from across Telford and Wrekin with the story and significance of Ironbridge Gorge.
Live iron casting
Visitors will have the chance to see the industrial heritage of Ironbridge Gorge brought to life at Dale End Park.
Across the weekend, skilled iron founders will prepare moulds, melt iron and carry out live iron pours, with opportunities to discover more about each stage of the process.
The completed casts will be revealed as part of the special Sunday evening finale.
Getting to Telford Day weekender
A park and ride service from Jiggers Bank will operate from 11am to 9pm across the weekend.
A shuttle service will also operate from Madeley, with additional parking available at National Trust sites at Blists Hill and Coalbrookdale.
Ironbridge Gorge: A place of global importance
In 1986, the Ironbridge Gorge was recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in acknowledgement of its outstanding contribution to world history and its role as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
Forty years later, Telford Day provides an opportunity to celebrate this remarkable achievement and recognise the role the gorge continues to play in our community, visitor economy and identity.
Whether you're a lifelong resident or a first-time visitor, Telford Day 2026 is your chance to celebrate one of the Borough's most important heritage assets.
A flag created by Telford, for Telford.
One of the most memorable parts of the first Telford Day was the creation of the official Telford flag.
In summer 2025, schools across the Borough were invited to take part in a competition to design a flag that could become a lasting symbol of civic pride. More than 1,000 children and young people took part, sharing their ideas about what makes Telford and Wrekin special.
Following judging and a public vote, Amelia's design was selected as the winning flag and raised for the first time on Telford Day 2025.
The winning design incorporates:
the iconic Iron Bridge
a sun and cog symbol representing our industrial heritage
green colouring reflecting Telford and Wrekin's parks and open spaces.
The flag has quickly become a recognised symbol of pride across the Borough, with residents, businesses and community organisations already embracing its use.
Show your Telford pride.
We'd love residents, businesses, schools and community organisations to fly the Telford flag during Telford Day celebrations.
Download the Telford flag
Download a high resolution image of the Telford flag (.jpg Size: 636Kb) .
Download a pdf version of the Telford flag (.pdf Size: 370Kb) .
Download a colour in version of the Telford flag (.pdf Size: 368Kb) .
Order a printed flag
Want your own professionally printed Telford flag?
Flagpole Express
Visit the Flagpole Express website to order the Telford flag.
Flags and Flagpoles
Visit the Flags and Flagpoles website to order the Telford flag.
United Flags
Visit the Telford Flag website to order the Telford flag.
Telford Signs
Visit the Telford Signs website to order the Telford flag.
A look back at the first Telford Day.
The first Telford Day brought together residents, schools, businesses and community groups from across the Borough to celebrate what makes Telford special.
Explore some of our favourite moments from Telford Day 2025.
Watch residents and visitors share what they love most about Telford.
Where’s your favourite place in Telford?
Watch our videos and discover the places that mean the most to people across the Borough.
Who do you love from Telford?
Watch our videos to find out about the people who make Telford special.
What's your favourite memory of Telford?
Hear stories and memories that highlight what makes our communities unique.
Whether you're a resident, business, school, attraction or community group, there are lots of ways to take part in Telford Day.
You could:
fly the Telford flag
organise a community event
share your celebrations on social media #TelfordDay26
visit the Ironbridge Gorge on Telford Day
encourage friends and family to get involved
support local businesses and attractions.