Bank holiday weekend promises hours of fun
KNOBBLY knees, glamorous grannies and gorgeous granddads, all are set to make an appearance at a gala tradition in Starbeck this weekend.
Final preparations are underway ahead of the annual Starbeck Gala, which is set to take place this Bank Holiday Monday.
Thousands of people are expected to turn out to the community celebrations, which have become something of a staple in the Starbeck calendar.
There will be dunking stalls, martial arts and karate displays, stalls, ballet dancing and Starbeck Primary School's band are to play African music.
Around 2,000 people are expected to attend, there will be bingo, beer tents, food, tombola, raffles, a fire engine, donkeys and children's rides, as well as a Punch and Judy show.
St Andrew's Church members are to hold a walking parade at noon, with a medieval theme, and there will be fancy dress competitions, including prizes for knobbly knees, glamorous granny, gorgeous granddad and bonny baby.
This year there will be no great parade, the committee would have to pay to police it and they say that every penny raised must go towards paying for the Starbeck Christmas lights.
But the traditional crowning of the Gala Queen will go ahead, with the Mayor of the Harrogate Borough, Coun Bill Hoult, at around 12.15 pm.
Thirteen-year-old Emma Barnes, and her attendants, sisters Emily, eight, and Chloe Smith, 11, will take to the stage to receive their crowns.
A number of community events are also happening this August Bank Holiday Weekend across the district:
l Pannal Gala is to take place on Bank Holiday Monday at the Cricket Club on Burn Bridge Lane, with stalls, food, a beer tent, games, races and a car boot.
l Ripley Scarecrow Festival is running until Monday, from 10.30am - 5pm, with displays and quizzes and plenty of scarecrows. Quiz sheets available from the village shops and church.
l The annual Great Ripon Raft Race is taking place tomorrow on Ripon Canal from 9.30am.
l Riverside Meadows Caravan Park at Ripon is holding a charity fun day on Sunday, from 2pm
l A duck race is to be held this Sunday, August 29, at 2pm on the Millennium Green in Pateley Bridge. Entries on sale in the High Street during the weekend.
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Weather for Harrogate
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light snow
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South

