HOLMFIRTH was awash with colour for a weekend of song and dance and merriment.
The centre was packed for the action as the town’s latest Festival of Folk got into full swing.
There was fun for all the family from Friday evening through to Sunday night with street entertainment and ‘fringe’ events – live music, street theatre shows and dance displays.
Workshops included playing the spoons and Egyptian, French and Appalachian dance.
It was the third year of the new look festival since a new team of volunteers took over and returned the weekend to its grass roots.
Five schools from the Holme Valley performed different dance acts for audiences at a packed Civic Hall as part of the Arts4All initiative in which Kirklees Children and Young People’s Service had provided funds for five artists to work with valley schools leading up to the festival.
Taking part were Wooldale Juniors, who performed traditional Longsword dancing, Holme School, with an English folk song, Lydgate School, New Mill, who worked with the Shabang Theatre, Netherthong Primary with the Caribbean Carnival Dance and Arts and Holmfirth J&I School pupils, who were taught Indian music, dance and arts.
Crowds gathered in the hot sunshine to see Barnsley-based Ritmo Unido return to perform their samba rhythms. The group are veterans of the Holmfirth festivals.
Sunday’s highlights included a festival service at St John’s Church, Upperthong, and a return of Colonel Custard and his Punch and Judy show.
Holme Valley Business Association chairman Caroline Anstey, said: “For a lot of people it was a very, very good weekend. Of course, It was better for those who are selling smaller items such as food and drink.”
And Angus Pogson, proprietor of Charlesworth Newsagents, on Victoria Street, said that it was one of the busiest weekends he could ever remember.
