A Victorian printing press used to print the Rochester Gazette until 1868 will be displayed during a festival celebrating Medway’s printmaking tradition.

The first annual Medway Print Festival kicked off over the weekend, with 30 events spread across 10 venues planned for the next fortnight.

Locals of all ages were invited to the Old Brook Pumping Station in Solomons Road, Chatham on Saturday to get a first hand look at a Victorian printing press.

It was used back in 1868 to print copies of the Rochester Gazette but is still in perfect working condition.

One of the festival’s curators, Allison Young, said it was a great opportunity to experience a slice of the town’s history.

“It is a beautiful ornate piece of Victorian engineering, it really is rather lovely,” she said. “We have had such a great response to the festival so far. There were 75 people who came along to our launch event on Friday night and there is such a buzz about it.

“It started off as quite a spontaneous idea but we are definitely hoping it becomes an annual event. We have already got dates for next year."

The Columbia press can be seen in the industrial museum with trails to help children explore on Saturday, June 18 and Saturday, June 25.

Historic wood blocks – some 200 years old – from Sweet’s print shop in Strood are also going on show at the Guildhall Museum, Rochester.

Created by a new partnership of art organisations, Medway Print Festival is a new showcase for the Towns’ printmakers of today and highlights the craft’s history.

The festival is co-ordinated by curators Allison Young and Matt Bray, supported by Medway Council’s arts development team.

Allison said: “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, printmaking has got a long and rich history in Medway and so many really good quality Medway-based printmakers and studios."

More than 30 events are running at Rochester Art Gallery, Sun Pier House, INTRA, Hazelnut Press, Nucleus Arts, LV21, MidKent College, Guildhall Museum, The Old Brook Pumping Station and the Huguenot Museum.

Over the next two weeks there is a print fair, exhibitions, courses, talks, workshops and demonstrations covering screen-printing, linocuts, woodcuts, gelli prints, monoprinting, collagraph, etching, and textile printing.

Visit www.medwayprintfestival.com