SALTAIRE Festival broke a record as 80,000 visitors attended the event this year.
The 20th annual music and arts festival took place from Friday, September 8, and finished yesterday (Sunday, September 17) in Roberts Park and many of the streets in and around the Saltaire World Heritage Site village.
"There was a really fantastic feeling here this year," said Ian Andrews-Swailes, Saltaire Festival chairman. "It couldn't have gone any better on our 20th anniversary.
"We topped 80,000 visitors this year," he said. "We had 60,000 people attend last year - and we won an award for that."
The festival kicked off with a open cinema showing of the The Greatest Showman and held a number of family-related events over the opening weekend, including circus acts, dance and martial arts performances and a number of other activities.
The second weekend is "all about the bands", said Ian, with a main stage set up next to the river and a bandstand which proved popular with both visits and performers alike.
The also featured a number of stalls selling various goods, as well plenty of food drink. There was also a continental market over the second weekend selling a range of delicious offerings to tantalise the senses of visitors.
"We try to showcase what we have around the community," said Ian. "The event is all about the community.
"We're all excited and building up to the City of Culture 2025."
Ian also said there were some famous faces at the festival in Saltaire this year, including James Hooton, who plays Sam Dingle in Emmerdale, and Bradford-born David Hockney.
Although he said the second weekend of the festival is "always busier", he said that this year around 15,000 people attended each day during the first weekend.
"It's been our best festival yet," said Ian. "Somehow we've managed to improve - it's quite exceptional.
Saltaire Festival has been going for 20 years, and Ian said he has been at the helm as chairman for the past six years.
Although the festival is very popular, he said the second weekend costs £45,000 to put on, so donations are always needed.
Ian said: “If everyone who visited us gave us just £1 then we could afford to keep putting the festival on.
"Let's keep this fantastic festival going for another 20 years."
To make a donation, visit saltairefestival.co.uk
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