Suddenly it's summer, and everyone is busily contacting the Northerner with details of local festivals...first up is the Hebden Bridge Blues Festival this coming weekend, with three dozen bands playing in seven venues across the town, mixing major established artists with young and up-and-coming talent.
The organisers say that they are committed to providing a festival that will have something for everyone. A major highlight will be the popular Women of The Blues night on Sunday returning after its huge success last year.
Coinciding with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the organisers of the Festival have booked one of her relatives to top the bill. Internationally renowned bluesman Todd Sharpville will be headlining at the Picture House on Saturday 2nd June. Todd (aka The Hon. Roland Augusto Jestyn Estanislao Philipps) is the younger son of the 3rd Viscount St Davids.
However, the festival organisers claim not to be interested in his connections, commenting:
He is Blues royalty even without the ermine and we know he will pack the place out and deliver a storming performance.
The programme for the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, now in its 19th year, has just been announced, containing the usual eclectic mixture of music, theatre, dance, poetry, comedy and open gardens. Fittingly for the Calder Valley, where previously the world's largest carpet factory was located, (Crossley's of Dean Clough, Halifax) there seems to be some sort of carpet theme going on with this festival, featuring as it does a performance by Inspirational Carpets, and also an evening of Stewart Lee's Carpet Remnant World at the Trades Club.
The Northerner is particularly looking forward to Granny Turismo, three ladies on souped-up motorised shopping trolleys, on 1st July, although disappointingly there is no mention of a magic carpet, which surely would have been a more fitting mode of transport.
Further afield, there are the Holmfirth Art Markets, on 10 and 24 June – yes, this outpost of the Northerner is temporarily extending her empire to include the Colne Valley - where all manner of arts and contemporary crafts, including jewellery, textiles, printing and pottery, will be on display at the Indoor Market. The theme is Best of British, and the weekends will showcase the work of over 100 artists, and include interactive displays. Also in Holmfirth, on June 17, there will be an opportunity to build a cardboard community out of recycled materials. Perhaps one could be wearing wrinkled stockings...
