THE NEWPORT Rising Festival returns for the second year later this week, and promises to be bigger and better to commemorate the 180th anniversary of the 1839 Chartist uprising.

This year, festival organisers have secured the historic Westgate Hotel, which has been closed for over a decade, to host a number of events.

The hotel is indelibly inked into Chartist history - 10,000 Chartist sympathisers, led by John Frost, descended on the hotel hoping to liberate prisoners. Yet 22 demonstrators lost their lives as troops opened fire on them, and bullet marks are still visible throughout the hotel.

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Here are the events taking place over the weekend.

Thursday, October 31

Screening of Peterloo – 7pm, Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre

The festival kicks off with a special screening of Mike Leigh’s Peterloo – a portrayal of the events surrounding the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Manchester turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British history.

The screening is previewed by a Q&A with historian Dr Katrina Navickas.

Tickets are £5 and can be bought from the Riverfront box office.

Friday, November 1

‘Renegade Psalms’ - 7.30pm-9.30pm, Westgate Hotel

Poet Patrick Jones and Membranes’ frontman will perform their poetry album Renegade Psalms – the final performance of his tour.

“It is a document of our time and aims to bear witness to the issues that affect us as well as finding some hope and light in our common humanity,” said Mr Jones.

“I am setting out on a journey to find out what people will stand up for today.

“It is an evening of spoken word, ideas, debate, protest, hope and special guest performers at each reading.”

Tickets are £4 and can be bought via the Newport Rising website.

A British Sign Language interpretation will also be performed.

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Saturday, November 2

Chartist Convention - 10am-3pm, St Woolos Cathedral

The Annual Chartist Convention returns to the city centre, featuring debate and discussion from a range of experts with new research and findings on Chartism and related movements.

The day will run as follows:

The morning session is chaired by Newport West AM Jane Bryant.

  • 10am: Introductory remarks and tribute to Paul Flynn.
  • 10.15am: Professor Steve Poole: Chartism and the Politics of Commemoration
  • 11.15am: Josh Cranton and Rhys D W: The Newport Rising graphic novel
  • 11.30am: Break
  • 11.45am: Professor Malcolm Chase: Chartism and Petitioning
  • 12.45pm: Re-enactment by Roger Morgan
  • 1.15pm: Lunch, stalls, and musical accompaniment by the Newport Orchestra

The afternoon session is chaired by Dr Elin Jones:

  • 2pm: Dr Katrina Navickas: Peterloo
  • 3pm: Break
  • 3.15pm: Peter Strong: Sixty years of Rape of the Fair Country
  • 4pm: Concluding remarks

Saturday, November 2

Protest song-writing - 11am, Westgate Hotel

An open session is being held with singer songwriter Matt Hill, with lessons on how to write a provoking protest song.

Entry free.

Saturday, November 2 - 2pm

In Da House, Westgate Hotel

Dance group G Expressions will perform parts of their recent work In Da House, which is a contemporary take on the conflict between working class Chartists and the Morgan family.

Saturday, November 2

Torchlit march 4.30pm–7.30pm, Belle Vue Park Tea Rooms

Last year, they took the streets – this year, they’re taking the hotel.

A march will snake its way from Belle Vue Park to Westgate Square via St Woolos Cathedral and Stow Hill, retracing the steps made by the Chartist protestors in 1839.

Participation is free and the march will be animated with performances and accompanied by the rhythmic drumming of Afro-Brazilian percussion band Barracwda.

You can purchase wax torches for an optional £6 – you will be given one at the beginning and another halfway along the route.

Three times as many torches and reservations have been sold for this year's event, compared to last year.

Torches can be reserved on the Newport Rising website.

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Saturday, November 2

After the Rising party, celebrations at the Westgate Hotel - 7.30pm-11.30pm

The 180th anniversary will be celebrated and commemorated with music, food and drink.

Soviet Leeds will perform The Spark Once Struck in the lower ballroom, which looks at the northern Chartists with songs, words, rabble rousing and politics.

There will also be a performance from Rusty Shackles at 10pm.

In the Rising Bar on the first floor of the hotel, there will be acoustic sets and festival food by MEAT and Rogue Fox.

Entry to the event is free, but priority will be given to torch bearers and those that attended the march.

Sunday, November 3

Chartist Caves - 11am-3pm, Trefil Road, Tredegar

There is a guided walk to the Chartist caves that were used to stockpile weapons in advance of their march.

This event has already sold out.

Sunday, November 3

The People’s Vote: from Peterloo to Brexit - 6.30pm-11pm, Watergate Hotel

Matt Hill and Tracey Browne perform original songs that take the listener through 200 years of history from universal suffrage to Universal Credit.

Includes a British Sign Language interpreted performance.

Tickets are £4 in advance and £5 on the door.

Monday, November 4

New mural unveiled – 1.30pm, Chartist Drive

A new Chartist mural will be unveiled where Chartist Drive meets Cefn Road. 

It has been designed by Oliver Budd, the son of Kenneth Budd, who created the original mural in John Frost Square.

Pupils from Mountpleasant Primary School will aslo be attending, alongside the mayor and MPs. 

Monday, November 4

Remembrance – 4pm–6pm, St Woolos Cathedral

A remembrance ceremony is being held for the 22 who died in the Newport Rising.

Registration is not required.