Organisers say calling off Harrogate summer fair is 'responsible action to take' after storm warning
A major Harrogate event has become the first victim of forecasts for thunderstorms and lightning this weekend.
The hardworking team behind Harrogate and Knaresborough’s first-ever community woodland project had planned to celebrate its fifth anniversary on Saturday, July 19 with a summer fair.
Long Lands Common was established in 2021 after a successful £250,000 community shares campaign to purchase 30 acres of open farmland near Bilton, surrounded by fields and hedgerows.
The Long Lands Common Community Summer Fair was meant to mark the fifth year of community land ownership and celebrate the recent securing of Knaresborough Forest.
But organisers have reluctantly made the decision to postpone the event, which was to include the AGM, after a Yellow Weather Warning was issued for tomorrow for heavy rain, with some thunderstorms.
The Board of the Long Lands Community issued an official statement today.
Urgent message: tomorrow's event cancelled
Dear shareholders
Due to the forecast of thunderstorms tomorrow, we have taken the decision to cancel the Long Lands Common AGM and Summer Fair which was scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 19 July. It will be rescheduled for a later date.
We did not take this decision lightly as we are aware a lot of supporters had planned to attend, but we feel it is the responsible action to take, considering that we would be under tents and on otherwise open ground surrounded by trees.
Collection of share certificates
If you would still like to collect your share certificate, we will be at Starbeck Library from 10 till 12 tomorrow morning where you can come and pick them up and have a chat.
We may offer other opportunities to do this, so we will be in touch in due course, and you can also pick them up on Knaresborough Forest Day on Wednesday, August 13, a new event which will happen every year as part of Knaresborough’s FEVA festival.
Knaresborough Forest Day will take place on 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.
Information: https://www.longlandscommon.org/