Festival brings Holmfirth to life!

Date published: 19 June 2018


The Holmfirth Arts Festival brought crowds of people to the pennine market town as everyone enjoyed a colourful spectacle of free outdoor events as well as sell-out ticketed concerts and performances. 

The festival’s packed programme included a vibrant Carnival Parade, on the theme of ‘Follow the Swallow’. 

Over 200 local people took part and processed through the streets of Holmfirth, enjoyed by an audience of around 1,000. 

The parade showcased an array of fantastical winged creatures, flying machines, stilt walkers, youth brass band, drummers and a Bombay baja band which, quite literally, brought the town to a standstill. 

Holmfirth Arts Festival’s director, Bev Adams, said: “The parade is always a highlight of the festival and unites the town in amazing creative activity. 

“So many people got involved and there is such a look of joy on people’s faces when they see all the incredible costumes.

“It really got the town buzzing and was a great way of kicking off the weekend.”

The outdoor theme continued with street performances throughout the weekend. 

A giant Heron, made by Edgeland Arts, found itself roaming the town on Saturday.

Other performers included Stopgap Dance, The Crow House, Funky Junk, Flycyle, Uncle Tacko’s Flea Circus, a collection of curious bee hives by Artizani and Avanti Display, and the Firm Band Baja who led the procession.

Visual art arrived at the festival in the form of a River of Art along the River Holme in the centre of Holmfirth.  

On Sunday, audiences gathered in Victoria Park for the Sing Holmfirth! event, a recreation of the traditional feast sings of the past. 

Local choirs and individuals sang a cycle of songs about the Holme Valley, specially written by local composer Barry Russell. 

They were accompanied by the Holme Valley Orchestra conducted by James  Morgan. 

Around 600 people sat on the hill above Holmfirth to listen to songs about Swallows, the Tour de Yorkshire, Bamforth’s Postcards and the iconic swallow was at the heart of it all.

Comedian Tiff Stevenson brought her own particular brand of humour to the festival with a sell-out performance and there was music from performers including Huggy, Ubunye, Joanne Harris and the #Storytime Band, Schwa and Hope & Social.

Theatre performances included Red Ladder’s powerful musical ‘Wrong’Un’ and a children’s show called ‘Christopher’s Caterpillars’ by Topsy Turvy Theatre.

Chair of the Festival Board, Steve Sykes, said: “The feedback has been fantastic with many people telling us what a brilliant time they had.

“We’ve had events which really capture the community spirit of Holmfirth and also brought in performers from further afield, who you would never normally get the chance to see.” 

Holmfirth Arts Festival was funded by Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, One Community Foundation and the Holme Valley Parish Council, and received support from Longley Farm and other local businesses and individuals.