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Apr 2023

Last Updated: 21/04/2023

Community

Knaresborough festival to return with town crier contest this weekend

by Vicky Carr

| 21 Apr, 2023

A new town crier will be chosen for Knaresborough this weekend as the community comes together to build new connections.

Knaresborough Community Festival is being held for the third time to offer groups and organisations around the town a chance to spread the word about what they offer.

Visitors will be able to enjoy taster sessions, ask questions and sign up for everything from Guides and Scouts to dance classes, theatre groups, Parkrun and even the town council.

A total of almost 40 organisations will be represented, along with live music and other entertainment.

Matt Read of Knaresborough Connectors said:

"We did the first community festival nearly three years ago at Knaresborough House as we came out of lockdown. We had about 25 community groups then.

"Knaresborough Connectors was the community support organisation for Knaresborough in the pandemic. We ran the festival to help people reconnect.

"There were a number of community groups that lost three-quarters of their membership and others had to close. It was a case of reconnecting people and joining the dots in the community."

Town crier contest

An unusual feature of this year's event will be a competition to find the next town crier, after Roger Hewitt announced his retirement from the post he has held for the last eight years.

It will see three candidates put through two rounds in front of the crowd, who will be encouraged to cheer for their favourites.

The contest will be judged by Mr Hewitt and the Mayor of Knaresborough, Cllr Kathryn Davies, with the winner to be announced at a later date.

Charlotte Gale of Knaresborough and District Chamber, which has organised the competition, said:

"Roger, the current town crier, has written a cry that they will be reading out in the first round. They have also been asked to prepare their own original cry for the second round. It should be a fun competition."

Knaresborough Community Festival runs from 10am to 4pm at Meadowside Primary Academy on Halfpenny Lane tomorrow. The event is free and visitors are invited to bring picnics, or to buy food provided by the school's PTA.

Full details are available on the Knaresborough Connectors website.

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Knaresborough festival to return with town crier contest this weekend

Town crier contest

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