Hebden Bridge Arts Festival News: Sun shines on second Festival weekend

Sun shines on second Festival weekend

The sun may have been cracking the flags over the weekend, but on Saturday it was the spark of clogs that wowed the crowds when The Demon Barbers performed their fusion of folk and hip hop in St George’s Square. The iMove on the Street event, which was presented in partnership with Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, forms part of Yorkshire’s cultural programme inspired by London 2012.

iMove

iMove in the Square - photo: Sarah Mason of Zebra Photography

Lancashire cloggers and street dancers showed their moves and encouraged hundreds of amazed onlookers to join in during an afternoon of dance which also included performances by boy cheerleaders DAZL, contemporary dance company DankDance and Breton dance group Les Panards Dansants. ‘It was a fantastic day’, said Festival Coordinator Rebecca Yorke, ‘it was wonderful to see local residents and visitors of all ages brought together by this truly unique performance. We’d like to thank the iMove team for involving the Festival in its summer street programme and also acknowledge our gratitude to the supportive businesses in St George’s Square, especially The Country Stores who assisted us with a power supply.’

iMove

iMove in the Square - photo: Sarah Mason of Zebra Photography

Sunday afternoon saw more Festival entertainment in St George’s Square, when performer Mike Hancock and guests Jones and Bernard braved the heat to offer a hilarious programme of comedy, music and variety. ‘It’s been brilliant’, said local resident Sakinah Haq. ‘There is such a buzz at the moment, what with the Open Studios weekend and the Festival street events. It’s great to see people sitting in the square in the sunshine. Hebden Bridge is a great place to live.’

Hebden Bridge Arts Festival 2011 is supported by Arts Council England, Hebden Royd Town Council, Calderdale Council, Sweet & Maxwell and Welcome to Yorkshire. Tickets for all events are now available from the Festival box office on Albert Street (01422 842684) or online via the Festival website at www.hbaf.co.uk where you can also sign up for regular email updates. Facebook users can also stay in touch via www.facebook.com/hbartsfestival.