Bumper weekend of Easter fun for all the family

The Easter weekend is here, and with the arrival of Spring too, there is plenty to do around the Harrogate district over the next few days.

Local, regional and international groups will come together for the 43rd Harrogate International Youth Festival, started in its usual style with a Grand Easter Parade through the town centre.

Festival highlights include:

Saturday, March 26

Grand Parade through Harrogate town centre, 11am-12pm.

Victoria Shopping Centre Piazza performance, 1pm-4pm.

Grand Opening Concert - The Royal Hall, 7.30pm.

Easter Sunday, March 27

Newby Hall Community Concert, 2pm.

Jazz and Big Band Evening - The Old Swan, 7.30pm.

Easter Monday, March 28

Ripley Youth Music Festival, 12pm.

St James Church, Birstwith, Community Concert, 2.30pm.

Tuesday, March 29

Fountains Abbey Community Concert, 12pm.

Ripon Cathedral Concert - Ripon Cathedral, 7.30pm.

Wednesday, March 30

Grand Finale Concert - The Royal Hall, 7.30pm.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.hiyf.co.uk.

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St Wilfrid’s Church hosts an annual Good Friday fun fair to encourage children of all ages to enjoy the Easter holiday.

Held in the parish hall and free of charge, it will begin at 10am and go until 12.30pm on Friday, March 25.

The Pinewoods Conservation Group (PCG) will be holding its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 26, from 11am until 1pm.

Entry is free for PCG members and £1 for others with an Easter egg for each successful hunt. There will also be a prize raffle.

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As well as the Easter egg trail, the official opening of the new resurfaced footpath and newly decked viewpoint by Coun Jim Clark will take place at noon.

The new path and decking has been replaced by grants and fundraising undertaken by the PCG.

Committee member Janine Clark, who helped arrange the event, said: “We are seeing increased number of visitors to our events and we know the Easter egg hunt through the Pinewoods is very popular – whatever the weather.

“It’s a great event for all the family and excellent way to introduce the Pinewoods to those who may not be familiar with the area.”

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Participants are asked to meet at RHS Harlow Carr car park three on Crag Lane, where the trail will take place on paths and not through the woods as previously.

Families can become garden detectives and hunt for the Lindt gold bunny at RHS Harlow Carr from Good Friday.

Visitors can put their detective skills to the test on a daily garden hunt - and may be rewarded with a chocolate treat.

From Good Friday to Easter Monday, visitors can meet real fluffy bunnies and the Easter Bunny himself will be hoping round the garden from 11am until 2pm.

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Other activities vary daily and include: a bird of prey display and flying show, storytelling and craft workshops.

For more details, visit rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr/whatson for full details. Normal garden admission applies.

Families are invited to the Great Studfold Easter egg hunt at Studfold Adventure Trails in Pateley Bridge, which opens on Saturday, March 26.

Pick up a clue sheet and explore and discover large willow nests and brightly coloured eggs and answers. Discover the gold rabbits and win an Easter surprise.

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Join the Mad Hatters Easter trail at Mother Shipton’s Cave, Knaresborough, from Friday, March 25.

The Cave is being transformed this Easter by Alice and her band of friends. For more information, visit www.mothershipton.co.uk.

Walks, concerts, exhibitions and Easter egg hunts are among the many seasonal events taking place around the Ripon area over the weekend.

The fourth annual Boroughbridge Easter Walking Festival is back and even larger than before.

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Barry McCallum, co-ordinator of the festival, said that he expected to exceed the total of 300 walkers who took part in last year’s walks.

“The walker numbers are increasing year on year as the festival gets more well known,” he said. “And as we have added other events, some in the evenings, to complement the programme, it will give even more choice for all who come to the area.”

The festival will run from Friday, March 25, through to Easter Monday, March 28, and will provide a choice of nine very different family oriented walks to choose from.

Each guided walk is circular and leaves from various locations around the area.

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Amongst the choice this year there is a photographic walk with an expert to give you tips, a family treasure hunt around the town and the ever popular ghost hunt.

Other events include a display of old Boroughbridge by the local historical society with a photographic exhibition and competition in the Jubilee Room.

Evening events include a film night, country music and line dancing, and a quiz night.

“So come along and have a look around all of our fantastic range of shops that we have here in Boroughbridge, and at the same time help choose the winner of the window dressing competition,” Mr McCallum said.

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For the full programme of events, visit www.boroughbridgewalks.org.uk.

It’s that time of year again when Newby Hall opens its doors to the public on Good Friday, March 25.

Activities gets started on Easter Sunday and Monday with traditional family fun days with woodland story trails throughout the beautiful grounds, courtesy of the team at Make a Wish Events with sponsorship from Welcome to Yorkshire.

Commercial director Stuart Gill said: “Newby’s Easter family days are hugely popular with our visitors and a great way to start off our opening season.“

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For the first time in 10 years, the house and garden at Norton Conyers, near Ripon, will be open to the public, from 2-5pm over the Easter weekend.

Sir James and Lady Graham will be welcoming visitors and giving short introductory talks at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm daily.

The Workhouse Museum in Ripon will be brought to life by a new display of artwork, which will be on show at the museum from Friday, March 25.

Inspired by the architecture and history of the museum, All in a Day’s Work by artist Catherine Bertola, will show what life was like for people forced to live in the Workhouse.

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Fountains Abbey is inviting families to take part in a host of Easter events over the weekend.

A golden egg hunt will be running daily from Friday, March 25, between 10am and 4pm.

The Cadbury Easter trail opens on Friday and will run daily from 11am until 4pm.

And as part of the Fountains Abbey Easter tradition, come and enjoy an eggciting afternoon on Monday, March 28, as the competitions for the best eggs begin.

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St James’ Church, Boroughbridge, is hosting a Good Friday concert at 7pm featuring performances from the augmented parish choir, the junior choir, and other local performers. Free admission, and refreshments included. For more information, call 01423 324276 or email [email protected].

Springfield Garth care home is holding an Easter coffee morning on Saturday, March 26, including a cake stall and raffles from 10.30am onwards.

Easter festivities in Wetherby begin with a traditional play on Maundy Thursday.

Riding Lights Theatre Company is bringing its new passion play, Crosslight, to St James’ Church, Wetherby, tonight (Thursday) at 7.30pm

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Crosslight is a communal experience of theatre and worship which draws its audience into the Easter narrative. It tells the experience of one disciple who failed, despite everything he believed so passionately.

Caught in the crosslight of the flickering candles at the last supper, the torches of Gethsemane, the firelight in the courtyard, by the searching gaze of his Lord, Simon ‘the rock’ is shattered. The disciple chosen to lead is in pieces.

Tickets are £7.50, accompanied children free and can be booked from the parish office on 01937 584760.

On Good Friday, members of all the Wetherby churches will be joining in the annual Walk of Witness.

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Walkers will use readings, hymns and monologues to recall and reflect on the events of Jesus’ trial, beating, mockery and crucifixion.

Starting at the civic offices at 11am, the procession will pause at the town hall steps and end at Bridgefoot. Everyone is welcome to join the walk.

Afterwards, at about noon, there will be a soup-and-bread lunch at the Methodist Church in Bank Street.

The following day, Saturday, families are invited to take part in a giant egg hunt in Rufforth.

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More than 30 giant eggs - handmade by local families, Rufforth Preschool, Rufforth Primary School and 1st Rufforth Brownies - will be hidden around the village for children to find.

There will also be lots of activities and refreshments in the centre of the village too, such as bouncy castles, face painting and traditional fete activities.

And running throughout the Easter holiday, Stockeld Park is hosting a range of season activities.

Pop on your Easter Bonnet and celebrate Spring at the Stockeld Park Easter adventure, which will open daily for fun and frolics until Sunday, April 17. A host of “Egg-stra” special events are taking place across the Easter weekend and throughout the school holidays.

For the full programme of events, visit www.stockeldpark.co.uk.

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