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Mystery
in the Dales?
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| Alice
Ketyl, Clapham's own witch: by Barbara Yates |
On
the weekend of May 8 and 9, something very strange will happen to
the village of Clapham.
For
two days, people in this normally sedate Dales village, will be
visited by boggarts, elves, fairies and all manner of magical folk.
Visitations
explained
No,
it's not the fulfilling of any ancient curse, it's the weekend of
Clapham's Festival of Magic, Myths and Legends.
As
part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park's 50th anniversary celebrations,
the festival will show the rich, unique cultural heritage of the
Dales.
During
the festival, local residents and businesses will take part in a
competition to decorate their homes, gardens and shop fronts.
When
they've finished hanging home made boggarts, wood spirits, elves
and fairies, Clapham will be transformed into an enchanted village.
Days
of wonder
Organisers
are expecting several thousand people to attend the festival.
Visitors
are being encouraged to get into the spirit of things by arriving
in costume.
There'll
be loads to see and do:street theatre, storytelling, circus acts,
puppetry, craft and musical workshops, birds of prey displays and
live music of all varieties, to name but a few!
Some
light relief
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| To
light up the festival evenings |
One
of the highlights of the festival will be a lantern walk on Saturday
night.
Visitors
will join a creep through haunted woods to see trolls, white lions,
knights in armour, a Viking ship and an amazing burning giant.
The
main festival site will be dominated by two towering 30-foot high
paintings by the festival's artistic coordinator Peter Huby.
Visitors
will also be able to marvel at a 12-foot high fairytale castle lantern.
It's been made by the Clapham community in conjunction with visual
artists from Pioneer Projects in Bentham.
Major
event
The
Clapham festival of magic myths and legends is the result of months
of hard work from local people and groups from around North Yorkshire
and further afield.
The
event is one of the highlights of the National Park's 50th anniversary
celebrations.
It's
also the biggest event the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
has ever been involved in organising.
World
premier
The
magic, myths and legends festival also hosts the world premiere
of a huge inflatable structure called a luminarium.
Festival
information
The
festival will open at 11am each day.
Admission
will be £2.50 per adult and free for children.
Admission
to the luminarium is expected to cost between £2.50 and £3.50
with family tickets available.
Money
raised during the festival will go to local community projects and
charities.
Want
to help?
Local
residents or businesses that would like to be involved in the festival
are invited to contact the Project Co-ordinator, Peter Huby, on
01729 840087.
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