Festival caters for a wide range of tastes

FANCY a night out with Dracula or going on a photographic safari? Prefer a night of music and comedy washed down with a special pint of ale? This year’s Hebden Bridge Arts Festival promises a mixed programme of one-off events designed to capture the imagination and stimulate the senses.

Festival Co-ordinator Rebecca Yorke said: "It has become something of a cliché to say we have something for everyone but we really do try to accommodate a wide range of tastes. Our programme of one-off events provides plenty of surprises to interest and entertain our audiences."

One of the highlights of this year’s Festival is acclaimed photographer Martin Parr, who worked in a studio in Albert Street 35 years ago and is returning to Hebden Bridge to talk about his time spent in the town and the influence the Calder Valley had on his work. Greg Hobson, curator of photography at the National Media Museum, will introduce the event at Hebden Bridge Picture House on Tuesday, June 29. An exhibition of photographs, ‘Martin Parr – the Albert Street Years’ will run in the Festival box office from June 12.

Photography will also feature when John Morrison of Magnetic North leads a safari armed with a digital camera around the streets of Hebden Bridge on the evening of Thursday, July 1.  People keen to capture the perfect image are asked to book early as places are limited and bring a DSLR camera and tripod.

One of the more unusual highlights of this year's Festival is the pairing of a landmark film in cinema history with a live, improvised score at St Michael's Church, Mytholmroyd, on Wednesday, July 7. The film is the 1922 expressionist classic 'Nosferatu', the first adaptation of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', and the score is by renowned local organist Darius Battiwalla. The event is presented in partnership with the National Blood Service, who contacted the Festival to ask if they could get involved.  Rebecca said: “Linking the Blood Service with the screening of a vampire film seemed like too good an opportunity to miss!  I wasn’t sure how they would take to the suggestion, but the Blood Service is very enthusiastic about the event and will attend in costume to hand out information about being a donor.”

‘Hebden Shorts’ a collection of new plays by six local writers, all with a national profile, will be presented at Hebden Bridge Little Theatre on three nights, July 8, 9 and 10. Each 'Short' is 15 or 10 minutes long, in recognition of the year of the construction of the town's packhorse bridge.  The directors of the plays are keeping very quiet about the stars of their shows, but audiences can expect to recognise a few famous faces.

The uproarious sounds of Mundo Jazz, superb musical and comic improvisors, will fill Hebden Bridge Trades Club on Saturday, July 10. Audiences needing to slake their thirst will be able to enjoy a pint or two of specially-brewed Festivale while they enjoy the show. Brewed by the Little Valley Brewery, the special beer will be available from June 7 at the Trades Club, Hole in t'Wall, Moyles, the Fox and Goose, Stubbing Wharf and Hebden Bridge Picture House.

Contact hbfestival@gmail.com for more information.

The 2010 Festival runs from June 26 to July 11. For more information visit www.hbaf.co.uk, or pick up a brochure around Hebden Bridge over the weekend.

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