Festival fun guaranteed – whatever the weather (From Gazette & Herald)

Galtres Festival in Crayke, near Easingwold

10:00am Wednesday 8th August 2012 in What's on By Natalya Wilson

WE may have had one of the rainiest summers in history, but organisers of the Galtres Festival in Crayke, near Easingwold – which takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend – have promised their event will go ahead, regardless of the weather.

“We’re fully prepared for whatever the heavens throw at us, with a load of carefully planned contingency measures, including track-way, tons of straw, new parking areas and shiny new wellington boots,” says festival organiser, James Houston.

“We’re made of tougher stuff than some of those poncy festival organisers who scarper at the first sight of a cloud.

“We’ve spent the past 12 months putting together the most fantastic programme of music, theatre, comedy, cabaret and fun stuff – and it would be criminal not to let it go ahead,” he added.

“Besides, we all know it’s going to be proper sunny in August.

“Secretly, I’m really only worried that the Wedge Wellies stall won’t do much trade – unless they sell fancy flip flops too.”

There are a whole host of events taking place at the Galtres Festival for all the family and plenty of Yorkshire talent playing throughout the weekend, as well as well-known names in music, on seven stages.

The festival opens on Friday, August 24, with Arthur Rigby and the Baskervylles, followed closely by Hope & Social – warming everyone up for The Buzzcocks and Ocean Colour Scene.

Hot on their heels on Saturday and ‘dripping with poppy modern folk credibility’, Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent competition winners Ellen & The Escapades play the main stage before The Guillemots and ASH.

Jon Gomm is a virtuoso guitarist and singer songwriter from Leeds, currently in the midst of an (almost) world tour.

Following Stephen Fry’s endorsement to his legion of online followers, Jon’s single, Passionflower, received more than two and a half million views on Youtube.

Closing the event on Sunday with their dynamic and infectious tunes and songs are Wakefield’s Aelfen, while Pontefract’s Three Sheets T’Wind will play from songs from their first album supporting the Men They Couldn’t Hang on the Oxman Stage, after Adam Ant, Seth Lakeman and Billy Bragg have stood and delivered on the Duke Stage.

Dragons and knights will be parading through the festival, with a jousting tournament and medieval village adding to the merriment, and there are modern interpretations of the York Mystery Plays and York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre performing Neil Duffield’s Small Fry, 30 minutes of dragon-themed fun.

Meanwhile, 100 fine Yorkshire beers and ciders can be savoured at the festival, now in its eighth year.

“Galtres is a true flavour of Yorkshire, with all of our 100 beers, food and family entertainment coming from our fine county,” said James.

An adult weekend ticket costs £90.

Family weekend tickets are £250 and family day tickets are £160, based on two adults plus three children aged five-15. Under fives are free. For tickets, visit galtresfestival.org.uk