New date revealed for Harrogate summer fair scuppered by threat of thunderstorms and lightning
The new date has been announced for a Harrogate event which was postponed in the face of thunder and lightning forecasts
The Long Lands Common Community Summer Fair was meant to take place on Saturday, July 19 to celebrate the fifth year of community land ownership and celebrate the recent securing of Knaresborough Forest.
What is Harrogate’s first-ever community-owned woodlands was established in 2021 after a successful £250,000 community shares campaign to purchase 30 acres of open farmland near Bilton.
But storm forecasts forced organisers to make the decision to call it off for safety reasons.
Now the event has been rearranged the event for Saturday, September 13.
A spokesperson for the The Long Lands Common team said: “We did not take the decision to postpone lightly but we felt it was the responsible action to take, considering that we would be under tents and on open ground surrounded by trees.
"Hopefully, the late summer weather will be kinder to us than the original date.”
The summer fair will include music, arts and crafts for adults and children, including bush crafts, green-wood-working and clay sculpture, a citizen science bio-blitz, a site rangers exhibition, a tea and cake stall and guided tours of Long Lands Common and Knaresborough Forest Park.
Timetable for the Day
11am: Gates Open - registration and certificate collection.
Noon: AGM Start.
12.30pm: AGM Finish.
12.30pm to 4pm: Music, Arts and Crafts, Bug Hunt, Site Walks, Displays and Stalls
4pm: Event Closes.
To give the Long Lands Common team an idea of likely numbers at the AGM, please register your intent to attend here: https://www.longlandscommon.org/event-details/long-lands-community-summer-fair
In the meantime, Knaresborough Forest Day will take place on Wednesday, August 13 at the field on the corner of Bilton Hall Drive and the Beryl Burton cycleway where the Long Lands Common team planted the first ceremonial tree last year.
The Long Lands Community Team have issued a reminder that, if you are unable to come to the AGM to pick up your share certificate, they will be at Starbeck Community Library from 10am-noon on Saturday, August 2 and Saturday, August 9.