Run together with the Lewes U3A Geology Group, the Festival aims to provide lots of fascinating things to do. It's aimed at children of all ages who are interested in fossils and dinosaurs. Entry is £3 per child and all should be accompanied by an adult.
A spokesperson said it is now 200 years since Lewes doctor Gideon Mantell announced to the world his discovery of one of the first land dinosaurs, the Iguanodon. This happened after he found many bones and teeth in the quarries around Cuckfield. The village museum has bones, artefacts and information about it.
Young Gideon, growing up in Lewes in the early 1800s, went out and about over the local hills with his friend Warren Lee. They came across an unusual stone and he was recorded to have said: 'This is what they call a fossil.'
He had seen a description of one in the Gentleman Magazine. He took it home. He later had more than 400 fossils in his collections and many ended up in the British Museum.
The Festival includes a dinosaur treasure hunt around the Railway Land, geology, jumble, model making, a shark teeth expert, colouring and sticking and a book stall from Bag of Books. Refreshments will be provided by the South Street Bonfire Society.]There will also be two showings (11am and midday) of the Mummer's play, St George and the Iguanodon written by Mike Turner and filmed on St George's Day around Lewes by Mick Hawskwsorth. It lasts for about12 minutes and features several well known faces and locations.
Visitors are invited to bring along their own fossils to show the experts.
--Susan King Senior Reporter Sussex Express Mobile 07976 800 195