A ten-day celebration of liberty, equality and solidarity goes ahead in Bradford at the end of this month.

May Day '98 will be the biggest event of its kind in the country, attracting visitors from the rest of the UK and abroad.

Organised by Bradford's 1 in 12 Club, the festival aims to reclaim the May Day public holiday for ordinary people and re-emphasise its significance as International Labour Day.

All kinds of events will go ahead at several venues across the city, ranging from gigs and an international football tournament to political meetings, a specially-commissioned play and film screenings.

The centrepiece will be a May Day carnival-style parade on Friday, May 1, led by striking workers from the Magnet Kitchens plant in Darlington, County Durham.

This will be followed by a free festival in Centenary Square with an afternoon of music, street performance, comedy, stalls and entertainment for children, open to all from 2pm to 7pm.

Pete Chapman, steward at the 1 in 12 Club in Albion Street, said: "The message of May Day '98 is: 'Don't wait until you are told you can have a holiday, take it while you can.' We are trying to reclaim May Day itself. The rest of Europe still has it on the first of May, we are the only ones who have had it moved to the Monday. We are hoping a lot of people will come and celebrate with us in Centenary Square on May 1 which is a free event for everyone."

A similar - but smaller - festival was organised by the 1 in 12 Club last year when over 1,000 people thronged Centenary Square on a sun-drenched May 1.

This year's festival features far more events including a showpiece gig by Bradford radical Asian band Fun-da-mental at Bradford University on May 2 and a specially-commissioned new play, Durruti, about the Spanish Civil War at Bradford Playhouse from April 30 to May 2.

For a full rundown of local events, contact the 1 in 12 Club on (01274) 734160.

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