The Culture Vulture has given out a few preview and review tickets for Grassington Festival, and here’s a taste of what’s going on (warning, Press Release) …
The weeks of waiting are finally over. The festival fortnight kicks off this Friday with one of the most exciting and varied line-ups of its 33 year history.
The Opening Night Party this year features The Beat, one of the best bands of the 2-tone movement. With their high energy music and with support from Yorkshire jazz band Dragonfly Tattoo, this will get the party started in fabulous festival style.
And this is only the start. On Saturday 15th June the picturesque village Square will come alive with a carnival parade starting at 10.30am and led by the brilliant Leeds-based Hope & Social and “A Band Anyone Can Join”. Victorian Music Hall superstar rapper Ida Barr will be inviting you to join her ‘Mash Up’ – a participatory live art project, which combines song, dance, writing, performance and cabaret. In addition, there will be live music including Bradford Grammar School Concert Band and the New York Brass Band, and a series of spectacular visual arts installations.
Fresh from the carnival parade, on the evening of Saturday 15th June the fabulous Hope & Social will perform their life-affirming music at the Town Hall. Named by The Independent as “one of the top 5 live bands”, Hope & Social are not just a band, they are an event, delighting festival revellers from Glastonbury to Edinburgh with their own brand of inclusive art and music. And here in Grassington, Hope & Social have been working with local groups from the Devonshire Divas and youth groups to Laughter Yoga and Grassington Players to create a “A Band Anyone Can Join” who will join Hope & Social on stage that night, sharing uplifting joyful music for all to enjoy and teaching those groups how to be in a band.
Come and celebrate a day of Yorkshire food and drink on Sunday 16th when the Square will be filled with stalls of local suppliers and producers including Kilnsey Park Estate, Northern Dales Farmers’ Market, Paganum, Relish plus demonstrations by Stephanie Moon and John Rudden.
Over on Linton’s beautiful village green will be another of the Festival’s fabulous free events – their festival’s first ever Yorkshire Pudding World Championships. The afternoon starts at 3pm and features games including the Yorkshire Pudding Shy and Whack the Pud plus races and competitions for all the family. There is even a demonstration by one of Theakson’s master coopers in barrel-making. This is bound to be a hugely popular event so get there early to bag the best seat on the village green.
Sunday 16th June sees the Festival welcome the doyenne of Fleet Street, Virginia Ironside presenting her one-woman show “Growing Old Disgracefully”, the funny, sensible and smart life-affirming ramble through the joys of being a sexagenarian. Directed by Nigel Planer, this show has been delighting audiences across the country.
The renowned presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Media Show, Steve Hewlett will be speaking at the Town Hall on Monday 17th June on the BBC, Lord Justice Leveson and Rupert Murdoch… Steve’s expertise and style have recently earned him the Nick Clarke Award for the Year’s Best Broadcast Interview. This is a rare opportunity to hear an industry expert give an insider’s view of the state of the media.
The special Festival Gala Concert on Tuesday 18th June features the distinguished classical performers Raphael Wallfisch (cello) and Peter Donohoe (piano). Celebrating their 60th birthdays this summer, these top classical artists present a world-class programme of classical music, starting with a pre-concert talk with a glass of festival fizz – this is certainly one not to miss.
Fancy foraging for your lunch in the beautiful Grassington landscape? Join BBC Countryfile’s Chris Bax and John Rudden of Grassington House for the day on Wednesday 19th June and raid nature’s larder on the Masterclass on Wild Food Foraging. Explore the ancient woodland of Grassington, learning to find, identify and prepare edible plants, seeds, nuts, flowers and fungi. The day includes a picnic lunch along with some home-made treats brought along from the Grassington House kitchen, plus a fabulous 3 course dinner and why not treat yourself and stay the night in the sumptuous surroundings of Grassington House Hotel.
Jessica Walker’s new show, Pat Kirkwood is Angry, a co-production with Opera North and the Royal Exchange Theatre is a witty but poignant look at the ephemeral nature of fame. Born in Salford in 1921, Pat Kirkwood was named Britain’s first wartime star at the age of only 18. With songs written for her by Cole Porter and Noël Coward, including “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”, Kirkwood was drawn into a scandal surrounding an alleged affair with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, rumours of which were to haunt her right up to her death from Alzheimer’s in an Ilkley nursing home in 2007. This evening promises to entertain and delight its audience.
And on Thursday 20th June, the truly amazing Bunk Puppets return to Grassington with their latest show, Slapdash Galaxy.The tale of Sam and Junior, two brothers who must flee their war-torn planet, and embark on an epic journey across the galaxy. Two brothers on a quest!
And look out for Dales Jam, the Skipton based community jazz band, playing at Victoria Hall in Settle on Sunday 23rd June. Dales Jam has been working with Settle-based youth ensemble RAMjam, a group of RAMjam alumni comprising excellent young musicians and the Richmond Jam youth ensemble to develop a suite of pieces from guided improvisations and group composition workshops, culminating in a premiere of original music. This event will include guest artist John Helliwell, formerly of British band Supertramp.
So whether it’s live music, community events, food, theatre, visual arts installations or workshops you are after, there really is something for everyone at Grassington Festival this year. The full line up of events is on the festival website at www.grassington-festival.org.uk and at the time of going to press, tickets were still available for many events. Tickets can be purchased from the Box Office on 01756 752691 or online via the website. The Festival runs from Friday 14th to Saturday 28th June.
Grassington Festival projects receive funding from Arts Council England, NYMAZ and the BBC Performing Arts Fund. Hope & Social and DalesJam receive funding from NYMAZ. This is part of the NYMAZ Musical Inclusion programme for North Yorkshire; NYMAZ provides high quality music-making activities for young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity. NYMAZ is funded by Youth Music.