The inaugural Bakewell Country Festival, which took place at Bakewell Showground on Sunday 17th July, has been hailed a success by organisers Bakewell Agricultural & Horticultural Society (BAHS).
Bridget Hope, BAHS manager, said: “We had a great start to the day with cloud cover and a lovely breeze, which made for ideal conditions.
“We saw the return of heavy horse competitions to the Showground, which offered a spectacle in centre ring along with a heavy horse display by Gawin Holmes and fun duck and geese herding by Tom Longton.
“We also welcomed different breeds of cows and sheep as well as alpacas from Mayfield Alpacas Animal Park and small animals for children to handle from Lane End Farm Trust.”
There was no shortage of other children’s entertainment at the festival, including craft sessions, a helter skelter and traditional sideshow stalls, face painting and free interactive music performances by Luke Carver Goss and Martin Harwood.
Music also featured throughout the day on the festival’s stage with performances from The Old Time Rags and The Jelly Roll Jazz Band.
Bridget continued: “We’ve developed the festival, which replaces Bakewell Show, to be a fun family day out that incorporates traditional agricultural elements, rural crafts such as farriery, dry stone walling and besom making, with entertainment, food, drink and a market, all run by local business owners.
“We also put a focus on conservation, welcoming organisations such as The Peak District National Park Foundation, Moors for the Future, Derbyshire police’s rural crime team and The Peak District Moorland Group. This meant we could offer lots of educational opportunities for visitors of all ages and in addition we staged a series of informative talks and demonstrations in our hay bale theatre.”
A culinary theatre was home to a host of renowned local chefs throughout the day including Mark Aisthorpe, chef patron of The Bull’s Head in Holymoorside and recent Great British Menu contender.
The event also featured a fishing village, vintage tractor exhibition, bushcraft and forest school workshops and local fire service members with a fire engine and large animal rescue vehicle.
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