What a Festival this year in Burley-in-Wharfedale, with the Fabulous Fun Dog Show kicking off events on 16th August, right through to the end of Festival open access walk more than a week later.
There was music galore with an Open Mic night celebrating local musical talent, both Ladies Please and Wharfedale Male Voice Choirs performing, band Shortfall coming back for another year after their opening success last year and Unity Ukes and Anchor Band playing on the opening Sunday encouraging people to dance in the park!
The week had a record number of events for children of all ages with Dungeons and Dragons attracting the teenagers to step away from their screens and participate in a team event and a Teddy Bears picnic in the park for the younger ones. Children (and adults) of all ages enjoyed learning to juggle, tightrope walk and unicycle at the Circus Skills afternoon and other events provided the opportunity to make soap sheep, learn to drum and just dance!
Adults had Zumba, Pétanque, Bowling, food nights, strawberry teas and a talk by Nick Bailey of Denton Reserve to keep them entertained!
The Scarecrow trail didn’t disappoint either – so many different ideas on the theme of “All Things Yorkshire” from games like Cluedo (Waddingtons the Leeds based original Manufacturer) represented by a whole street of murder suspects, weapons and clues and The Mr Men series in another street.
It was a close-run thing but the winners (voted for by the public) were:-
1st Bettys Tea Rooms
2nd Cottingley Fairies
3rd Alan Titchmarsh
With 4th 5th and 6th respectively being Bertie Basset, Last of the Summer Wine and David Hockney!
The Organisations prize went to Jolly Tots Nursery with their Grand Old Duke of York featuring peg soldiers and lots of sheep made by the children.
Scarecrows also represented local sports personalities and teams including Harry Brooks, Rugby and Football teams, singer Mel B, Railway Children, Historical figures Forster and Fison, Mother Shipton and other icons of Yorkshire. Scarecrows also managed to represented Yorkshire Tea, Puddings, Dialect, Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley Moor Bar t’at, Breweries and the Rhubarb Triangle.
Over 500 Scarecrow trails were sold with a further 700 trails and quizzes including a dinosaur trail, a trail around the “clocks” of Burley and others including following the route of two of the Becks in the village, a number-based quiz and both an adult and child-based Yorkshire themed quiz.
Walkers are Welcome’s range of walks was fabulous with some great local history themes including the Bronze Age, Reservoirs and Upper Mills, Stead Hamlet, The Railway and the development of Ilkley, with some venturing further afield to Harewood, Addingham and Rombalds Moor.
'What a great Festival' – say the organisers, who now form part of Burley Community Trust, and are looking forward to a “Thank You” evening for all the fantastic volunteers that help make the Festival a success before taking a well-earned rest! Then the planning starts for next year. Anyone interested in getting involved should email bsf.volunteers@burleycommunitytrust.org.uk
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