THE spectacular Moonraking Festival in Slaithwaite comes to a colourful climax tomorrow night with a stunning procession of lanterns through the village.
The procession will set off from Carr Lane at 6.30pm and will make its way via Bank Gate, Hill Top and Crimble and finally back to Carr Lane where there will be fireworks and a finale celebration. This year’s theme is the ‘Lunar Landings’ to mark the 40th anniversary of the first man on the moon.
Shops and businesses in the village will be staying open throughout the evening and after the procession there will be live bands playing in The Wharfside Inn and The Little Bridge to carry on the celebrations into the night.
The story of the Moonrakers goes back to 1802 when the Slaithwaite Canal was built. Local legend tells that smugglers would hide goods such as rum and whisky in the reed beds to be drunk late at night. One particular night a group of men were caught trying to rake in the barrels and when questioned they pretended to be drunk and claimed that the moon had fallen in the canal and they were trying to get it out before it drowned.
