Thousands to attend major street fest

A scene from the first Parbold Street Festival

The Parbold Street Festival of Arts and Music returns on the weekend of September 3 and 4 and organisers are promising an even bigger and better one than the impressive first which attracted 5,000 visitors.

It gets under way at noon on Saturday with a performance by the Red Rose Band, playing New Orleans music through the village. The Big Stage, behind the Railway pub hosts music from many local bands and singers over the two days including Burly Chassis, the Whiskey Casers and On the Line.

More than 40 stalls will be set up, and there is a Problem Child Beer and Gin Festival at the Wayfarer. The Lancashire Society will be in the Women’s Institute showcasing songs, stories and dance plus theatrical performances from days gone by. A German beer and sausage event will be at the Stocks Tavern.

To celebrate the bicentenary of the Leeds/Liverpool canal, the Canal and River Trust will be bringing George, a Victorian barge, turned into an interactive museum. Ambush, another Victorian barge, will also be there plus the Rose of Parbold will be turned into a floating art gallery for the weekend.

The Windmill is offering a hog Roast and cider event plus market place in the centre of the village.

The Mill Leat area will be turned into “The Village” containing a second, stage, food, drink, stalls and attractions. Parbold Equestrian Centre, working with Riding for the Disabled, will be providing demonstrations, taster classes, fun and games and attractions at their site opposite the Stocks Tavern. Music will be performed at Coffee etc and Yours is the Earth.

Barges will be coming and, dressed in lights, will be parading in the Festival of Light on Saturday evening.

Sunday will see an inter-denominational church service on the Big Stage at 11am followed by our Grand Duck Race at 1pm on the canal. The Village Stage will have performances by Blowjangles, the Worldwise Samba Drummers and Ukes Alive.

Over the weekend, there will be theatre and parades enacting The Legend of Parbold Hill which tells the story of Sunny the dragon who lives under the hill. There is a Kids’ Zone with fairground, stalls and attractions, including Paint Ball target shooting, crazy golf, and sand art.