Fun by the bucket and spadeful!
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date published: 31 May 2010
Photo: Alan Hamer and Chris Sunderland
GET digging . . . Jessica Lawrence (4) and Matthew Lawrence play on the beach.
THE beach was brought to the town centre as Oldham became a seaside destination for the weekend.
Festival Oldham brought music, street theatre and coastal attractions to the High Street.
Rain failed to dampen spirits on Saturday and the sun came out on Sunday to help make it a sparkling success.
Oldham Beach was one destination residents would never have anticipated springing up outside Spindles but a mountain of sand guaranteed seaside fun.
A bit of drizzle didn’t deter children from grabbing a bucket and spade and making sandcastles complete with flags, while artist Andrew Baynes created an impressive sand sculpture of a mermaid with a giant fish for a tail.
Guernsey Brass Band sensibly used Spindles as shelter from the rain and delighted an audience with a rousing performance, including a spirited rendition of “All That Jazz.”
And samba sounds from Juba do Leão got the crowd swaying and cheering.
Elsewhere, traditional activities saw youngsters queuing for free donkey rides and entertained by Punch and Judy shows.
A children’s tent also gave them the opportunity to indulge in nautical arts and crafts, including face painting and making pirate hats.
An area called “The Last Resort” was full of more eccentric characters with a forgetful clairvoyant, bizarre beach photographer, a freak show and caricaturist.
More unusual aspects saw street theatre from the whacky but amusing Victorian Bathers, cheeky lifeguards and The Cod Choir.
Sunday treats included a musical show and dance classes from Mr Whippy and the Conettes, Dobcross Brass Band performing, children’s shows and sandcastle competitions, while giant seahorses and an oversized octopus roamed the promenade and a Lord Nelson lookalike added a touch of history.
Rachel Wood, from Oldham Arts Development, said: “It was fantastic.
“We had a packed town centre on Sunday. There were thousands of people.
“Hundreds of children played in the first Oldham Beach, building sand castles and watching Punch and Judy. There were fantastic crowds at all the street theatre events.
“There was really bad weather with wall to wall rain on Saturday but it did not affect the performances or stop children making sandcastles.
“It didn’t dampen the spirit of the festival.
There were no cancellations and every performance happened on schedule. The sun shone on us on Sunday and we really got the seaside feel to the town centre.
“It was a super success and quite a sight watching children playing in the sand and seeing one of Britain’s best sand sculptors at work.”
The event was organised by Oldham Town Centre Partnership and Oldham Arts Development.
A fringe festival also saw entertainment elsewhere with an International Brass Fest at Uppermill Civic Hall and mirth at Off The Rails Comedy Club in Greenfield. And the fun hasn’t finished yet as children’s events will also take place at Gallery Oldham and Oldham Library on Saturday.
