Blackshawhead Village Fete

Weather does't stop the people of Blackshawhead having a good time!

Update Tuesday, 8 September 2009

The resourceful people of Blackshawhead are not ones to let a spot of bad weather get in the way of a good time! So, when a week of windy downpours threatened the annual Village Fete, (not for the first time, it has to be said) they simply replanned, reorganised, and got on with it.

With much of the usual fete field waterlogged, and with several of the sideshows unable to put in an appearance for safety reasons, - you can’t bounce safely on a wet bouncy castle – the outdoor activities were squeezed into a smaller area, and greater use was made of the indoor facilities of nearby Blackshawhead Chapel.

The result was a fete which in some ways was the most successful yet. Entries for the very popular produce competition were well up on last year – more than double for the children’s categories – and thanks are due to all who put time and effort into entering, and to those who expertly judged the results.

The Punch and Judy show relocated to the chapel, amongst the Colden School art exhibition, and was extended to include magic shows and four fully-occupied face painters. Busses from Hebden Bridge arrived loaded with visitors, swelling the numbers thronging onto the field in wellies and waterproofs. The drizzle dried up and the sun came out. The bar sold out of draught beer, the barbecue sold out of burgers and hot-dogs, and the band played on.

One of the organisers, Tim Cole, said “ We had to make some last-minute decisions, but this shows what can happen when people are determined to work together and accommodate each other. We must thank everyone who turned up on Friday afternoon to put tents up, and again after the event to dismantle them. And, of course, everyone who came on the day and enjoyed themselves”.

The bunting and banners have been unfurled, the meadows are mown, the tents and tables are being set up, and final preparations are under way for this Saturday’s Blackshawhead Fete.

The fete, which opens at 1.30pm, features stalls and sideshows, food and drink, live music, competitions and demonstrations in the open air, and art and local history exhibitions and lunches and teas in Blackshawhead Chapel.

One of the big attractions of the fete, which is now in its 13th year, is the produce competition. Entries for the many adult and children’s categories should  be brought to the fete field from 10.30 on Saturday morning. Judging is at 12 noon, and all entries will be on show in the produce tent during the fete.

Buses to Blackshawhead leave Hebden Bridge station at eight minutes past the hour, and New Road at ten past, and return from Blackshawhead at around half past (times vary slightly). Entry is £1 adults, 50p children, payable at the gate.

Wednesday, 5 August 2009

Blackshawhead Village Fete this year is set fair to be bigger and better than ever, with stacks of stalls and sideshows, locally produced food, drink and music, doggie demonstrations and competitions, and lots more.

The fete, on Saturday 5th September, also provides the start and finish for the very popular Blackshaw Head Fell Race, and exhibits the results of the fiercely contested Produce Competition, where adults and children battle it out for awards in categories as diverse as “Apple Plate Pie”, “3 eggs any colour” and “Best jar of weeds” - opportunities there for a multitude of talents!

Hebweb photo of a previous year's Blackshawhead Village Fete

Fete programmes, which also contain the entry forms for the Produce Competition, are being produced this week, and in a departure from previous years are being made available free of charge. They will be delivered to houses in the area and can be picked up from the Tourist Information Office or May’s Farm Shop at Colden. Produce entry forms can also be downloaded from from here with the user name “public’ and the password “fete09”

Entry to the fete is £1 for adults, 50p for children, paid at the gate rather than entry by programme as other years.

Another departure from previous years is the provision of under-cover accommodation for some of the stalls on the field, to avoid the inconvenience of the unlikely eventuality of a small shower, which has been known in Blackshawhead! And the entrance area to the field has been covered with hardcore, to prevent a repeat of last year where despite a fine day for the fete, overnight downpours had produced a pond preventing access to the field, and resulting in a hasty relocation to the chapel grounds for a much cut-down version of the fete.

The chapel, as always, features prominently, hosting the Colden School Art Show and the Local History Exhibition, as well as the ever-popular “Pats’ Pantry” lunches and afternoon teas. The afternoon will be rounded off in competitive style, with the egg-throwing and tug of war contests. And, no doubt, a good time will be had by all!

Blackshawhead Fete 2005