6:30am Monday 6th July 2009
By Ben Barnett
It’s not everyday you see a Smurf or an umpa lumpa running through the streets with a bale of hay, but that’s exactly the sight that greeted villagers in Oxenhope for its annual Straw Race.
The established event took place in the village, near Keighley, yesterday in temperatures exceeding 20C.
For anyone unfamiliar with this quirky event, the aim for participants is to have a drink at each of six pubs in the village in the quickest time by running between them carrying a bale of hay – all in the name of charity and a good time.
This year’s race proved no different. Roads were closed to traffic and villagers lined the streets.
There was an oompah band at the Bay Horse Inn – the first stopping point – as weird and wonderfully dressed characters stooped to collect their pint of beer and bale of hay wrapped in polythene.
Money raised will be distributed to the Manorlands hospice, in Oxenhope, and a host of other good causes in November.
The Straw Race was one of several summer events held in the district over the weekend.
Children took part in a fun day parade from Allerton Children’s Centre, in Avenal Road, to Ladyhill Park on Saturday. Organised by centre staff, young participants wore sunglasses and carried holiday suitcases and a giant model of an aeroplane to arrive at the park for an afternoon of activities.
They put on a dance and drama show at a marquee where they also read out poetry and performed Flying the Flag from the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest.
To complete the holiday theme, a beach was mocked up where families made sandcastles.
The fun season continued with Keighley Gala on Saturday and organisers hailed it a great success.
A procession, which followed a shorter-than-normal route through the town, was one of the best for years. “It was a superb day and I’m delighted,” said gala chairman Brian Hudson.
The extravaganza began with the crowning of the gala queen Rebecca Lund in Town Hall Square before the procession made its way through the town to Victoria Park where there was a funfair, some charity stalls, a Tae Kwon-Do demonstration and a performance from the Queensbury-based Revolution Show Corps.
Yeadon Carnival also went done a storm according to one of the organisers, Otley town councillor Nigel Francis. He said: “It was by far the best we’ve had yet. We had 30-odd vintage cars in the parade and all five schools took part for the first time.”
This year’s Wilsden Gala saw Haley McCann and Christopher Barker crowned gala queen and king. Visitors descend upon the village hall, off Royd Street, where they tried their luck at a coconut shy and saw line dancing displays. The Huddersfield Big Band performed as people browsed the various stalls while Wilsden Pre-School won the best designed float in the parade.
Denholme Gala also got underway on Saturday with gala king and queen, Sean Webster and Abbey Bayliss, leading a parade from Ogden Lane to heralding the start of proceedings.
Local historian Malcolm Hanson opened the event in Foster Park which featured fairground attractions, ferret racing, stalls and an army assault course.
There was similar fun at Oakworth Gala. The village society held the event on Saturday and leading the parade was gala queen Erin Rodwell.
Shirelle Clarke, chairman of the Wrose Carnival committee, said she was delighted with the public’s response to the 33rd carnival held at Wrose Recreation Ground on Saturday.
There were fears that visitors would stay away after new traffic management legislation meant there was no procession along Wrose Road for the first time in more than 30 years.
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