The Cathedral’s magnificent bells will ring out over the city to mark the opening of the Festival. A team of 12 bellringers will perform without stopping for four hours, ringing over 5,000 changes. Church bells are the biggest and loudest musical instruments and Worcester’s peal, the fifth heaviest, is regarded as one of the finest peals in the world. Weather permitting, the tower will be open and you can watch the ringers perform via a television link. It’s quite an experience being on the tower roof with 14 tonnes of bell metal swinging a few metres below your feet. The biggest ringing bell at the Cathedral weighs 48 cwt or 2,444kg!