Oyez oyez! The British Town Crier Championships are coming back to town on September 27 for the 14th event of its kind.
And to celebrate, a total of 14 criers from around the UK will take to The Piazza where they will put their boldest voices to the test to sing the praises of Huddersfield heroes.
But it will be the penultimate event for the town, as organiser and Huddersfield town’s crier, Vic Watson, has said it will take place for the final time next year.
Vic, who has hosted the event since it began, said that a lack of council funding was partly responsible for his decision to end the light-hearted contest, which is the only one still held in Yorkshire.
See a gallery of pictures from last year's championships below.
This year’s main sponsors are the Huddersfield Giants, the only rugby club in the country with their own personal town crier.
He said: “It’s a shame that this will be the second to last event but it is becoming increasingly hard to get off the ground due to the lack of funding from the council, who have never helped me with raising the £450 needed to put it on.
“The competition puts Huddersfield on the map and there are no other events like it in Yorkshire, we are it.
“Next year’s contest will be the last, which will coincide with my 70th birthday.
“But although the event won’t continue, I’m definitely not hanging up my town crier cloak .”
This year plucky contestants from places such as Nantwich, Darlington and Kidsgrove, including three women, will be asked to sing the praises of famous people from the town, using in between 75 and 125 words.
They will be watched by a team of judges and special guest, Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Ken Smith.
Vic said: “I just thought the topic was a bit different.
“We’ve got a lot of people to be proud of so what better way to commemorate them?
“They will also cry about their own town and will be judged on their confidence and bearing, diction and inflection and volume and clarity.”
There will also be prizes for the best dressed crier, the best town ambassador and best escort, as well as the Vic Watson award for the most handsome crier.
The contest will start at 11am and money raised will be sent to Help For Heroes.
