IT’S billed as a time of ‘learning, lanterns and legends’ –but Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival ends on Saturday.

The biennial event celebrates all that’s great about Slaithwaite with a series of community events.

A week of lantern-making and story-telling culminates in a unique and keenly-awaited finale procession which re-enacts the legend of moonraking.

The legend dates back to the early 19th century when the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was built through Slaithwaite.

The canal became a commercial hub and it wasn’t long before the less scrupulous villagers found there was money to be made from smuggling.

Fred and his pals were loading barrels of illicit booze when an excise man appeared.

The booze was hastily dumped into the water and they returned later that night to retrieve it.

Two excise men almost caught the smugglers red-handed but quick-thinking Fred told them, in his broad Yorkshire accent, that the moon had fallen out of the sky and they were raking it out!

The officers went off laughing at the local dimwits.

Every ‘odd’ year Slaithwaite celebrates Fred’s cunning in the February half-term holiday.

Lanterns are being built all this week from a willow framework covered with tissue paper.

For the procession they are lit by a candle and carried on bamboo poles.

Lantern-making workshops have been held this week at Slaithwaite Community Centre.

The last sessions run today from 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-4pm and 7pm-9.30pm.

The cost is £2.50 per person per session with under-fives free. Under-13s must be accompanied by an adult.

The festival culminates on Saturday with the Handmade Trail and Music in the Round ahead of the finale procession.

Visitors are invited to a family afternoon visiting the pop-up arts and craft market stalls at the Methodist church hall and civic hall from 2pm.

There will be live music in the round car park from 3pm and storytelling around the village.

Festival co-ordinator Gill Bond said: “Handmade lanterns have always been at the core of the festival and our village celebration.

“Over the last few years we have seen a rise in local artisans and artists living and working in Slaithwaite and we are keen to promote this.”

The Handmade Trail precedes the Festival Finale with the ceremonial raking of the moon taking place at 6.30pm.

The lantern parade will follow featuring 10 street music bands.