COLNE TOWN COUNCIL’s first Summer Food Festival was a success, with crowds thronging the town centre on Saturday.
Chairman of Colne Town Council, Cllr. Sarah Cockburn-Price, commented: “The weather was not as good as originally forecast, but it didn’t rain and people came anyway! Quite a few of our stallholders were surprised by their level of sales and sold out. Several have already rebooked for our Christmas Food Festival and Festive Event on 26th November. The feedback we have received from Colne’s established businesses was also very encouraging, with the increased footfall we delivered clearly appreciated.”
For many, it wasn’t the food that was the chief attraction, it was the music. People of all ages enjoyed the different sounds produced by the acts on the Main Stage: Barnoldswick Brass Band, Frolicking Pete & Fumbling Fingers (Ceilidh), Accrington Pipe Band, Piping Hot Brass, Karin Grandal Park & Rosie Clegg (Folk, Jazz and Blues), plus Sarah Cross (Motown). In addition, street performers kept music flowing throughout the town in places such as The Market Canopy and Richmond Court.
The idea of this summer combined Food and Music Festival was the brainchild of Cllr. Ash Sutcliffe, Chairman of the Town Council’s Events Committee. He said: “We’d like to make next year’s event bigger and better. I’d like to thank Glen South, who provided the PA System, Little’s Transport, who provided the lorry that acted as our stage and the Gazebo Team. The Events Committee met last week and had some really exciting ideas for 2017. If you’d like to get involved, make sure you come along to our next meeting on Monday, 8th August at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall.”
With events such as Colne Commemorates, the Summer Music and Food Festival and the Cycling Grand Prix helping to improve the town’s vitality, the Town Council is working with the Town Centre Forum to enter the Great British High Street Competition. Last year, Colne was runner-up in the Market Town category and this time, the group is determined to win! There is a meeting to formulate ideas for this year’s entry at The Town Hall at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, 2nd August.
The Town Council is staging The Colne Grand Prix Cycle races, sponsored by cottages.com and Fort Vale for the first time in a few days’ time, on the evening of Tuesday, 26th. Also for first time ever, Colne’s main race has the honour of closing the race series and the first race, the Youth Race, is a little earlier than usual, at 6.15 p.m. This is followed by the Fort Vale Sprint for Success race at 7 p.m. and the cottages.com Colne Grand Prix at 8 p.m. With fewer laps than in the past, the prizes are expected to be awarded at 9 p.m.
