Revealed: Major summer events planned for Stray in Harrogate

Harrogate can start preparing for a bumper end to lockdown thanks to plans for two major events on the Stray this summer.
Flashback to a previous food and drink festival pre-Covid, this one took place at Ripley Castle.Flashback to a previous food and drink festival pre-Covid, this one took place at Ripley Castle.
Flashback to a previous food and drink festival pre-Covid, this one took place at Ripley Castle.

Following news that Harrogate Fake Festival is planning to bring top music acts to the town in July, comes a second anouncement - Harrogate Food and Drink Festival is coming to West Park on June 26-27 .

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It’s a double boost for the town’s hospitality sector after a tough 14 months since the pandemic began and promises to attract big numbers of visitors to the town once restrictions ease.

Despite wrangles over whether local cafe and bars should get temporary access to parts of the 200 acres of parkland during this stage of the Government’s roadmap, the local authorities have given their blessing to both events as part of the hoped-for final stage of the Government’s plans to end lockdown and return to normality.

The last time a Harrogate food festival was held it was during the August bank holiday in 2019 at Ripley Castle.

Plans for spring dates for a similar event in 2020 on the Stray near Oatlands Drive were scuppered by the introduction of lockdown rules as the nation began its fight against Covid.

Harrogate Food & Drink Festival

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This summer’s Harrogate Food and Drink Festival will take place at the West Park sector of the Stray used in the past for major cycling events.

Returning as one of the country’s first non-socially distanced festivals since the pandemic hit, Harrogate Food and Drink Festival is being organised by the team behind the successful North Leeds Food Festival.

Showcasing a huge selection of Yorkshire’s most delicious street food with live cookery demonstrations, thousands of food lovers are expected to attend the event in Harrogate which will boast an expanded artisan market.

Family fun will be catered to by entertainers and street performers, children’s activities, well-being activities, and a variety of live jazz, pop and acoustic music from local artists.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Harrogate Food and Drink Festival’s coordinator Hannah Dewhirst said: “We are thrilled with the quality and variety of our live performance line-up this year, and are so looking forward to being back in Harrogate to celebrate with everyone after such a tough year.”

The festival will also be running additional activities throughout the festival to raise funds and awareness for charity Mind in Harrogate, after raising more than £18,125 over the past four years for local mental health charities.

The line-up includes Will Forrester, a jazz and classical saxophonist with over 20 years’ experience, and singer-songwriter Ben Jordan, who has been performing in bands since he was 14 years old and established as a solo artist in recent years.

Also appearing will be vocalist Natalie Rose, bringing high energy and a powerful vocal performance with a repertoire of Soul and Motown music.

Harrogate Fake Festival

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The live music programme at Harrogate Food & Drink Festival is not the only good news for music fans in Harrogate this summer.

Harrogate Fake Festival, which first took place in the town in 2015, is returning to the Stray inside its giant marquee on Saturday, July 17.

The popular tribute-based live music event was last held in Harrogate in 2019 when it had to move, temporarily, to Killinghall Moor Country Park.

The previous year’s show on the Stray in 2018 attracted a record crowd of 2,000 people.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fake Festival owner Jez Lee said he was excited to be coming back to Harrogate and keen to keep everyone safe no matter what the national rules may be come July.

Mr Lowe said: “After skipping a year, we really can’t wait to join you guys in the heart of Harrogate for another incredible day-long Fake-Fest feast of live music.

“We work hard to ensure our festivals are safe, secure, accessible and friendly - with an environment that caters for all ages.

“Our giant marquee ensures a warm, lively, inside atmosphere, so you can really enjoy the music.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Part of a national chain of Fake Festivals, the event promises six professional ‘touring-grade’ tribute bands renowned for putting on superb performances.

Harrogate Fake Festival

Line-up of acts

Scheduled to run from 11.45am to 11pm on Saturday, July 17, the six live acts for Harrogate Fake Festival 2021 will be:

Queen - Flash;

Kasabian - FKazabian;

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Really Hot Chili Peppers;

Duran Duran - Duran;

Green Day - Green Date;

The Police -The Police Force.

Tickets are on sale now for the festival which, as in previous years, boasts a licensed bar inside the marquee and food traders in the outside area.

To purchase tickets for Harrogate Fake Festival, visit: www.fakefestivals.co.uk

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To purchase tickets for Harrogate Food & Drink Festival, visit: www. harrogatefoodfestival.com

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Related topics: