IF YOU are a brass fan, the place to be this weekend is Holmfirth.
The town will be bursting with brass players and their fans as a weekend of events get underway.
The Holme Valley Brass Band Festival holds its inaugural Slow Melody Competition tomorrow (April 2) followed on Sunday by the popular Holme Valley Brass Band Contest. Both events are in Holmfirth Civic Hall.
The Slow Melody contest starts at 1pm and there are sections for 11 and under; 14 and under; 16 and under; Open Age and Veterans.
Sandy Smith will be the adjudicator.
On Sunday, the festival switches its attention to the 85th running of the Holme Valley Brass Band Contest.
The contest this year has attracted an excellent entry of bands across the three sections with representatives from Yorkshire, the North West and the North East.
The youth section, financially supported by Edgar Dickinson, starts the days contesting at 10.30am.
The Section B (Third and Fourth Section bands) follow at 12.15pm with the Section A (Championship/First and Second Section bands) playing at 3pm.
The annual march through the town (about 6.30pm) will be dedicated this year to local bandsman and businessman Trevor Storer who has died.
The events will be overseen by David Horsfield with the deportment adjudicated by Stuart Fawcett.
Competing Bands include (Section A) Hade Edge conductor Simon Wood; Meltham and Meltham Mills Robin Morgan; Skelmanthorpe John Roberts; Slaithwaite - Tabby Clegg; Rainford Neil Samuel; Uppermill Alan Widdop and Wakefield Metropolitan Norman Law; (Section B) Boarshurst Silver David Ashworth; Dobcross Youth James Garlick; Dinnington Colliery Jonathan Beatty; Huddersfield and Ripponden Alan Coe; Skelmanthorpe 'B' Philip Garlick; Yorkshire Traction Honley Wayne Bostwick; Littleborough Public Adrian Woodhead.
êYouth Section: Dobcross Youth James Garlick; Hade Edge Training Band Simon Wood; Hade Edge Youth Band Simon Wood; Scissett Youth Simon Mansfield; Tewitt Youth Malcolm Dibb.
