THE wait for Newport’s first ever Chartist festival is finally over.

Newport Rising Festival is here, with a whole host of events and activities to celebrate Newport’s rich heritage and our democratic rights.

The festival, organised by charity Our Chartist Heritage (OCH) with Heritage Lottery funding, kicks off tonight with two events.

A free event this evening is also sure to attract guests, hosted at Pen & Wig, on Stow Hill. Doors open at 7.30pm, but the fun will begin at 8pm, with Flying Bridge Theatre Company presenting an evening of previously banned and censored words and songs. This entertaining evening is free, but guests are advised to reserve their spaces on the Newport Rising website.

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At 8.30pm, Riverfront Theatre will give a special screening of the film, V For Vendetta (2005), which is suitable for people aged 15 and over. The film follows a character, known as V, on his mission to overthrow the government. Tickets are £6 and can be purchased on the Newport Rising website.

Saturday will be the bulk of the festival, with excitement building up for the People’s March, which will follow in the footsteps of the Chartists in the Newport Rising of 1839. Again this is free, but people wishing to take part should register online for safety purposes. Rebels will gather at Belle Vue Park, with live performances by Flying Bridge Theatre Ltd, Cardiff Reds Choir, and Barracwda from 4.30pm, before the march starts at 5pm. Participants will walk from the park to Westgate Square via St Woolos cathedral and Stow Hill. Those wishing to bear a torch, in true rebel style, can pay £3 for one, with the proceeds going to OCH.

Ahead of this, the People’s Market will be hosted at Newport Market, on High Street. This will be between 10am and 3pm, featuring a range of stalls and exhibitions.

Following the march, festival goers can enjoy live entertainment, being hosted in various venues.

There will be a RISE stage at the Gallery Space, in Newport Market, headlined by Rusty Shackle, with support from Upbeat Sneakers and Chroma. The music will be between 7pm and 11pm, with tickets available for £7 on the website.

Alternatively, Le Public Space will host musicians Jon Langford and The Charlemagnes from 7pm. At midnight, the venue will host Adam Hussain, from Goldie Lookin’ Chain, joined by Graham the bear. This is a free event, although registering is advised.

Then, on Sunday, there’s a whole host of Chartist based activities.

In the morning, from 10am until 2pm, there will be a guided walk to the Chartist cave in Tredegar. Rebels will meet at Top House Pub, in Trefil, and travel three miles, led by Steve Growley. This is a moderate walk, with walkers advises to wear appropriate shoes, and bring waterproofs, along with lunch and water. This hike is free, but registration is necessary.

Later in the day, between 4pm and 5pm, there will be a commemorative service at St Woolos Cathedral. This will be at the Chartist memorial, a stone in memory of the 10 Chartists buried in unmarked graves, following the blood shed outside Westgate Hotel in 1839.

Le Public Space has plenty lined up on Sunday, for £7. The venue will welcome guests from 5pm, with a light vegan buffet and doors to the performance area opening at 5.45pm. The evening will then feature Matt Hill with songs from The Battle For The Ballot. These original tunes share the stories of the many people who fought for our right to vote.

Following an interval, Theatr Silures will take the stage, presenting extracts from Alexander Cordell’s novel, Rape of the Fair Country. The book follows the Mortymer family, who live in the iron-making communities of Blaenavon and Nantyglo in the 19th century, and uses their tale, combined with researched facts, to tell the story of the Chartist movement in Wales.

There will be another interval, followed by performative historians, Radical Stroud, using texts to reveal the links between Stroud and the Newport Rising of 1839. The group will present ‘The Life and Times of George Shell’ which was written by historian, Stuart Butler, who will perform it with Keith Butler and Rachel Simpson. This moving piece focuses on George Shell, a teenager shot dead outside Westgate Hotel, who took three agonizing hours to die.

Stuart Butler will follow this with an exploration on how history may have unfolded if the Newport Rising had been successful, before his poetic narrative about the pubs involved in the 1839 Rising.

To top off this exciting weekend of events there will be live music at Tiny Rebel bar, in the city centre, by Jack Perrett and Daniel Burridge, from 7pm until 10pm. This is a free event, with no booking required.

On Monday, Newport City Council will be hosting an associated ‘Tomorrow’s Democracy’ conference.

To find out more or to book tickets, go to: newportrising.co.uk