The annual Stray bonfire and firework display will not take place this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Usually drawing crowds of thousands of local spectators, the bonfire was set to mark its 50th anniversary this year. However, the latest restrictions announced by the government have made the event impossible.
Organised by volunteers from Harrogate District Round Table, it raises money for charity through donations from the public. It also sees local groups benefit, including the Scouts, who sell refreshments, and schools which are given a share of the profit from the sale of glow sticks and other items.
Harrogate District Round Table chairman Andrew Rickard said:
“We are genuinely devastated to have to postpone the 50th anniversary of the Harrogate Stray Bonfire and we have held off making this decision for as long as we possibly could, in the hope that it could go ahead. Unfortunately we have had to make the decision to postpone our 50th Stray Bonfire until 2021.
“As a Round Table, we are extremely proud of our annual charity Stray bonfire, not least because it provides a free event for all local residents, but also because organisations such as the Scouts and our nominated charities rely on it to bolster their much-needed fundraising efforts.
“We will be back next year (Covid restrictions permitting!) with a bigger and better event for our local residents to celebrate the 50th year of the Stray bonfire.”
In order to mitigate the losses from cancelling the event, the organisers have set up a fundraising effort to support local charities. They are asking anyone who would usually attend and who can afford to make a donation to do so on the Crowdfunder page.
All donations will be given to the organisations which usually benefit from the bonfire, traditionally held on the Saturday closes to November 5.
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The bonfire is the latest major event to be called off in the Harrogate district over the coming months. Harrogate Christmas Market’s organisers announced they could not meet all Covid safety requirements at the end of August, pre-empting similar decisions for markets elsewhere in the country, including Leeds and Bath.
However, organisers of Knaresborough Christmas Market told the Stray Ferret they are still hopeful of going ahead in the run-up to the festive season – even if they have to run at a loss in order to support local businesses.
The 50th anniversary bonfire will be postponed to 2021 because of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, members of Harrogate District Round Table have not let the coronavirus lockdown stop them supporting other local organisations.
Among other activities since March, they have been working with Supporting Older People to buy, pack and deliver more than 200 food packages to vulnerable local people.
