Saturday (16 Sept)
Dinosaurs will once again walk the earth, as Depot takes part in this weekend’s Lewes Fossil Festival.
On Saturday (16 Sept) a model dinosaur can be viewed at Depot, a scaled down prototype of a giant dinosaur which it is hoped will find a permanent home in the town. Depot will be screening the Stephen Spielberg blockbuster Jurassic Park 3D and offering a fun dinosaur-themed menu.
The model dinosaur, which has been flown over from the US especially for the festival, is part of a project to install a life-sized replica dinosaur somewhere in Lewes. The replica would act as a permanent memorial to the geologist Gideon Mantell, who was born and lived a stone’s throw from Depot. He is credited with inspiring the first dinosaur studies following his discovery of the fossilised bones of a prehistoric iguanodon.
At the event, Depot visitors will be able to make suggestions about where in Lewes the dinosaur will eventually be displayed. One suggestion is the island in the Pells lake. The replica will be about 3m tall and 7m long.
The high-point of the day will be a special one-off screening of the 1993 hit Jurassic Park, with special effects that still hold up remarkably well – a treat in 3D on the big screen.
To compliment the festivities, a special dinosaur-themed menu will be available from noon. Are you a iguanodon or a tyrannosaurus rex? The iguanadon burger is the herbivore option, with grilled halloumi and grilled mushroom. The tyrannosaurus burger is for the carnivore, with paprika smoked pulled chicken and streaky bacon. Yabadabadoo!