A die-hard Taylor Swift fan from Harrogate has arranged a party in town for fellow Swifties to celebrate an upcoming album release.

The party on November 13, timed to coincide with the new album, will include Prosecco, pizza, a Taylor Swift-inspired tarot card reader, cakes and a lifesize cut-out of the American superstar herself.

Swifties, as her fans are called, will assemble at the Starling Bar Cafe Kitchen on Oxford Street to sing the night away to Taylor’s new album, Red (Taylor’s Version).

Organiser Tiffany Snowden has been a fan for 15 years and said being a similar age to Taylor meant her songs often resonated with her own life.

A 10-minute version of her favourite song, All Too Well, is included on the new album.

Ms Snowden said:

“There’s nothing like a proper breakup Taylor Swift song to get all your emotions out. This album is really exciting.

“I just lost it when I found out we were going to hear the full version. This night could be the highlight of my year.”

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The party idea started after Ms Snowden asked a local Facebook page if fans would be interested in getting together. One hundred comments later and the event was planned.

She said 22 tickets have already been sold, with people of all ages getting ready to listen to the album.

“There’s a real range of ages coming and parents have bought them for the kids too,

“I can’t wait to be in a room with people who also know all the words instead of me singing alone!”

The event will begin at 7pm, tickets can be bought here.

The original Harrogate Christmas Market will not return next year after Harrogate Borough Council entered into formal talks with an organiser from Manchester.

Brian Dunsby, who established the Christmas market in 2012 and built it up to a success, has admitted defeat in his battle to hold the event on Montpellier Hill.

Harrogate Borough Council refused the licence at the end of July and has now revealed that Market Place Europe is now planning to hold a smaller event in December.

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After three weeks of wrangling with the council Brian Dunsby told the Stray Ferret:

“It is a shame for traders we have and for the sake of the town centre businesses which all need the Harrogate Christmas Market.

“Some of the traders may go bust. I think that very few will get into the event being organised by Market Place Europe.

“We created a marvellous event, it was a great success. It is also a distressing situation for the local charities we raise money for.

“Over the years we donated £90,000 from the profits we made.”

Mr Dunsby does not plan to hold the Harrogate Christmas Market this year of next but thinks there may be an opportunity for it to return in 2023. He added:

“By 2023 North Yorkshire County Council will be in charge. So whether we have another go then, I don’t know. It’s too early to say.

“I will not try next year because I do not think there is any point when Harrogate Borough Council is still in charge.”

The orginial Harrogate Christmas Market had around 170 traders booked in, 55 coaches and it expected to attract around 90,000 visitors for the four-day event.

Harrogate Borough Council refused a licence for Brian Dunsby’s event at the end of July.

It said that the event management plan did not fully take into account overcrowding, counter-terrorism and the ongoing risk of coronavirus.

However, Market Place Europe is planning to host 45 stalls with a mixture of European and local traders over 10 days at a yet undisclosed location in the town centre.

A Manchester events firm is set to take on Harrogate Christmas Market this year after a row over health and safety concerns.

Harrogate Borough Council has now entered into formal talks with Market Place Europe, which is based in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

The council said that the company is planning to hold a 10-day event from  December 3 to December 12 rather than the usual four-day market.

At this stage it is unclear where the new Harrogate Christmas market will take place but it will be in the town centre.

It is also unclear if the 170 traders and 53 coaches booked in with the former organisers will move over to the new Christmas market.

Market Place Europe is behind the Christmas markets in Glasgow and Belfast. The company also organises a number of food markets across the UK.

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Gemma Rio, head of destination management at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“I am pleased to see that Market Place Europe has submitted an expression of interest to hold a Christmas market in Harrogate town centre this December.

“To have interest from an organisation with vast experience of operating successful markets across the UK is a great opportunity for the district.

“We look forward to working with them, and our local partners, to ensure this event is delivered safely and drives visitors into the town.”

Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“From what I’ve seen, Market Place Europe have years of experience hosting events. So I know they’ll bring an abundance of knowledge to Harrogate this Christmas.

“You’ve only got to look at the photos online from markets they’ve hosted in major cities such as Belfast and Glasgow to see what they’ll bring is a first-class offering.”

This news comes just over two weeks after Harrogate Borough Council refused a licence for Harrogate Christmas Market run by Brian Dunsby OBE on Montpellier Hill.

Representatives from the founding organisers at Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd met with two council officers on Tuesday.

It was the first time the two groups met but after 90 minutes of talks the council issued a statement saying alternative locations “have been refused” by the current organisers.

The council also said it would “move forward to ensure Harrogate hosts safe, vibrant and attractive Christmas festivities this year”.

Weeton Show is set to go ahead under blazing sunshine tomorrow and organisers are encouraging people to book tickets before they sell out, as people cannot buy them on the day.

It is one of the only local district shows going ahead, with many others choosing to cancel due to covid restrictions.

Sharon Waring, a member of the show committee, said all the volunteers have been working for months to make sure the event could be held under social distancing restrictions.

Have you ever seen a sheepdog herd ducks? Just head to the Weeton Show…

She added the size of the village’s show ground meant visitors will be able to spread out.

Hand sanitising stands will be in place and this year tickets have been capped at 2,000 and must be pre-booked.

Mrs Waring said the family-friendly event has ‘something for everyone” – this year’s programme includes Yorkshire terrier racing, sheepdogs herding ducks and welly wangling.

‘Dangerous Steve’ – a show regular – will also be performing his daredevil stunt act.

Dangerous Steve is looking forward to appearing at Weeton Show – He promises a non-stop, thrill-a-minute show with Fire and Chainsaw juggling, Giant Unicycle, Ladder Balancing and Blindfold Motorcycle riding.#weetonshow #dangeroussteve #preparetobethrilled pic.twitter.com/fh0OpJ5ymw

— The Weeton Show (@WeetonShowNews) July 8, 2021

Stallholders will sell local food, drink and crafts and the Guiseley Brass Band is booked to entertain visitors in the afternoon.

Mrs Waring said:

“It’s incredible that we are going ahead. In its history the show has only been cancelled three times; foot and mouth disease, bad weather and last year due to coronavirus.

“It’s fantastic especially this year when so any others locally have cancelled.”

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The first show was held in 1945 and often attracts thousands of visitors from across the county.

Gates will open from 9am on Sunday. To book tickets, click here.

Harrogate Food and Drink Festival is set to arrive on the Stray this weekend for two days of food, drink, live music and cooking shows.

The outdoor event will be held on the Oatlands Drive area from 10am on Saturday June 26 to 7pm on Sunday June 27.

Visitors can expect about 100 stalls selling all types of produce, from jams and cheeses to Lebanese food, as well as artisan crafts.

Despite a four-week delay to the end of restrictions the event can still go ahead with its current measures. It will be encouraging social distancing, have hand sanitising stations around the site and provide extra toilets, tables and chairs.

Social distancing means the event does have a limited capacity, but organisers said tickets were still available. Each ticket is given an entry time to stagger arrivals through the day.

A festival spokesperson said:

“We are lucky to be a naturally socially distanced event with limited indoor areas. However, this year we have brought the entire festival outdoors, apart from the cookery theatre, which is in a marquee with the walls removed.”

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It will be in the same area in which the town’s bonfire and fun fair is usually set up.

In 2019, the event was based in Ripley Castle for three days. It will return there for a second event on this year’s August bank holiday weekend.

A Hollywood director is to star in one of Harrogate Film Festival‘s headline events when it returns for a fifth year.

Oliver Stone directed the film JFK about the assassination of American president John F. Kennedy, which was nominated for eight Academy Award nominations, including best director.

The film will be screened online on April 23 and be followed by a question and answer with Mr Stone. It is the 30th anniversary of the political thriller’s release.

Festival director Adam Chandler said:

“We are beyond thrilled to be welcoming Oliver Stone to the Harrogate Film Festival. JFK is an amazing piece of cinema that set a high bar for the political thrillers that followed it.”

Organisers said this year’s events have been planned to ensure they’re in-line with covid restrictions.

Unlike the usual 10-day event, this year’s festival will be a series of mini festivals between April and September. It is hoped some of the later events will run face-to-face.

Mr Chandler said:

“Since our 2020 festival, a lot has happened in the world. We have planned the 2021 festival to allow for a fully online event, holding events in person, or a combination of the two.

“We really hope that by running a full schedule of events we can help bring some normality and joy to film fans. Whatever the situation at the time, all events will be streamed online.”

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The event with Mr Stone is part of the festival’s Independent Filmmakers competition. The four-day event offers a platform for up and coming filmmakers to show their work and attend workshops.

When restrictions ease in May, the JFK event and Independent Filmmakers will be re-run in cinemas in May.

Founded in 2017, the festival has welcomed numerous famous faces and says its aims are to captivate audiences with film education and interactive events.

It has been announced today that the 2021 Bed Race has had to be cancelled due to the uncertainty of the pandemic.

Knaresborough Lions Club said it was a decision they didn’t want to make but the health and safety of everyone involved had to come first.

The event has become an institution for the town, welcoming around 30,000 people each year to enjoy the fun and laughter of the day.

People from across the town get involved through volunteering at the event, dressing up or making one of the famous beds.

This is the second year in a row the Bed Race has been cancelled due to covid.

The Bed Race encouraged crowds in their thousands. Photograph: Charlotte Gale Photography

The committee’s chairman Kevin Lloyd said the day takes four months to organise and he assures the public that the event will return when it can. He said:

“We said we were looking for a clear horizon, but there is just so much uncertainty around. This is really breaking all our hearts, but we have a responsibility to put first the health and safety of everyone involved.

The Lions said they looked at later dates but were concerned this would clash with other activities and there would still be no certainty regulations will have changed.

The hope is the group can organise a similar virtual event as 2020.

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Mr Lloyd added:

“But Bed Race will not be forgotten. It has become an institution. The people of Knaresborough will not give it up and for the Lions it will remain in our hearts.”

The Great Knaresborough Bed Race has been running since 1966 and raises significant amounts for local charities and organisations.

As well as the 30,000 visitors, there are 300 volunteers who organise the event and and another 630 people becoming bed riders.

The event is known around the world inspiring other Bed Races in the USA, Australia, South Africa and Europe.

The organisers of the Harrogate Flower Shows have said the spring event will go ahead in April but with visitor numbers reduced by two thirds.

The spring show usually attracts 60,000 visitors over four days and provides a major boost to the district’s hotels, bars and restaurants.

However, numbers will be limited to 5,000 people a day over the four days, which means the event will only attract about a third of its usual footfall.

The North of England Horticultural Society usually stages spring and autumn flower shows at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate but this year’s autumn event was cancelled.

But it has introduced measures that it says will adapt the spring show to covid-safe guidelines.

This means visitor numbers have been limited and all tickets have to be bought online in advance.

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A spokesperson for the North of England Horticultural Society, said the many acres of space at the showground meant the event could be adapted to meet covid requirements. The spokesperson added:

“If the situation improves in the New Year, as many top advisers have indicated they expect, then we can adapt again to take advantage of any improvements.”

Visitors will be allowed to attend in two timed sessions each day.

The event is due to take place from April 22 to April 25.

The society said it was aware government policies may change, forcing the event to be cancelled, and that it would work with partners to adapt to any changes.

The pring event — called Spring Essentials — will showcase gardens and nurseries and include live theatre.

Knaresborough Christmas market will not go ahead after the county council said it could not safely give permission for the event.

The market was one of the only remaining events still planning to go ahead during the festive season. But with others locally, including Leeds and Harrogate, being cancelled, North Yorkshire County Council was concerned it could attract even larger crowds than usual.

One of its organisers, Hazel Haas, said the decision “wasn’t unexpected” and the residents of Knaresborough are the top priority.

Hazel, chair of the Knaresborough Christmas Market committee, said:

“We planned it all along knowing it may happen. We cut out the parts which attracted queues and crowds and spread the stalls out. It’s really sad for Knaresborough, but if it prevents a single person from Knaresborough getting [covid] we are happy.

“We’ve worked closely with Harrogate Borough Council to find different layouts – we did everything we could to make it work but it couldn’t happen. Next year will be bigger and better.”

The organisers say many of the new ideas will be used next year to ensure a bigger and better Christmas market.

The market was amended to ensure safety by cancelling the annual fireworks display and live entertainment and reducing the number of stalls but Hazel said the risks “were just too great”.

She added:

“We understand the decision, which is being made in everyone’s interests.”

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This event is another casualty for the festive season, with many annual events unable to go ahead.

The decision comes as coronavirus cases in the district are slowly rising – a further six new cases were reported yesterday. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the Harrogate district since the beginning of the pandemic to 894.

A Harrogate family who delayed a series of celebrations during lockdown have had their plans dashed once again.

The Wood family had three children’s birthdays and one new baby to celebrate during covid, but were unable to do so and decided to mark them all together later this month.

However, the new six-person rule has forced the cancellation of events planned previously when limits were set at 30 people – leaving the Woods disappointed again. As a family of six, they are unable to meet up with anyone under the new restrictions.

“The family were very disappointed at not being able to share the joy physically that a new baby brings. There was lot of concern over the baby’s health and size, which also caused concern. Thankfully everything is well, but as you can imagine it was a worrying time.

“We’ve had to cancel our birthday plans for mid-September which would have included 20 to 30 family members and friends. My children feel disheartened, they feel it’s just a waiting game. It’s sad children can’t enjoy the things that help make their childhood, like unlimited access to family including birthday parties and celebrations.”

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“I understand the reasoning behind the government’s new guidelines but feel they could be elaborated more clearly. Apparently my daughter’s drama classes can go ahead but she can’t go to her friend’s birthday party in a week’s time. Maybe there isn’t a right or a wrong way but to place new restrictions and then send children back to school with no measures in place is confusing.”