Huge crowds turn out for Marsden’s Imbolc Festival - amazing picture special

Feb 8 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Huge crowds turn out for Marsden’s Imbolc Festival

One of the organisers, Angie Boycott-Garner, said: “It was a wonderful night, with a very good crowd.

“The misty evening all added to the atmosphere, with the fire-swingers and jugglers appearing out of the fog.

“Many people had taken the opportunity to take part in the fire-swinging workshops that we had organised and they were able to play a full part in the parade.”

The event is organised by local residents and the Standedge Tunnel and Visitor Centre.

Imbolc, pronounced ‘im-olk’, heralds the first signs of spring with purification and fire as the main themes.

Candle lighting and fire represents the increasing warmth of the sun as Winter gives way to Spring.

The name comes from an Irish word that was originally thought to mean ‘in the belly’.

It is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of spring.

Originally dedicated to the goddess Brighid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid’s Day.