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Ripon will be dancing to a Caribbean beat when it welcomes in 2024 this evening (Sunday).
Residents and visitors are invited to the city’s New Year’s Eve gathering on Market Square, where the live music will be provided by the Jamsalana Steel Drum band.
The traditional event on Ripon Market Square attracts thousands of revellers each year
The band will strike up at 9:45pm and the evening will conclude with a fireworks display at midnight.
Before the start of the celebration event, organised by Ripon City Council and paid for from the parish precept, at 9pm a member of the hornblower team will signal the setting of the watch with blasts of their horn at the four corners of the obelisk.
The ceremonial event, dating back to 886 AD – was instigated by Alfred the Great the first Anglo-Saxon King of England – and will provide the prelude to a night of free entertainment.
Today’s forecast is indicating that the rain and winds brought by Storm Gerrit will have reduced but, as with all outdoor events, it’s always advisable to bring an umbrella!
Full coverage of Ripon’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, will be published by the Stray Ferret on January 1
Main image: Tonight’s fireworks display will herald in the New Year
Harrogate Stray bonfire to go-ahead after safety inspection
Harrogate’s annual bonfire is set to go-ahead this weekend after a safety inspection.
The event, which is organised by Harrogate and District Round Table, will return on Saturday, November 4, for its 52nd year.
The bonfire will be lit on the Oatlands Stray near to St Aidan’s Church of England High School.
In a post on its social media this morning, Harrogate and District Round Table said:
“Follow a safety inspection this morning, we are delighted to confirm that the Stray Bonfire and Fireworks is going ahead as planned.”
The decision comes despite heavy rain in Harrogate this week caused by Storm Ciarán.
Meanwhile, nearby Wetherby Town Council has been forced to postpone its bonfire event on Saturday due to adverse weather and ground conditions.
The Harrogate event will take place from 5pm until 8.30pm and include fireworks and live music.
The bonfire is free to attend but the round table, which is a charity, will raise funds for Harrogate Homeless Project.
It has set up a GoFundMe page and urged people to text BONFIRE to 70560 to donate £5.
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Details of Stray bonfire and fireworks revealed
The organisers of Harrogate‘s annual bonfire and fireworks on the Stray have released further details about this year’s event.
The event, which is organised by Harrogate and District Round Table, will return on Saturday, November 4, for its 52nd year.
The bonfire will be lit on the Oatlands Stray near to St Aidan’s Church of England High School.
It will take place from 5pm until 8.30pm and include fireworks and live music.
The event is free to attend but the round table, which is a charity, will raise funds for Harrogate Homeless Project.
Ut has set up a GoFundMe page and urged people to text BONFIRE to 70560 to donate £5.
Matthew Firth, who has helped to set up the event, said:
“It is important that we help end homelessness on the streets of Harrogate.
“Especially going into wintertime when the mercury regularly drops below freezing and these poor people, often through no fault of their own, end up on the streets.”
Visitors on the night will be able to buy burgers, sausages, hotdogs and vegetarian options served by local scout groups.
Vintage Event Bars will run a licensed bar at the event, serving a selection of alcohol. Soft and hot drinks will also be available.
Toilets will be available on site.
Live performances will be held on the pop-up stage throughout the night — with Three Strikes Band already confirmed — and more to be announced.
Organisers have asked people not to bring sparklers to the event for safety reasons.
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Fireworks finale will end Ripon’s coronation day celebrations
A fireworks display will provide a spectacular end to coronation day celebrations in Ripon’s Market Square on Saturday night.
North Yorkshire Council and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have given the go-ahead to a 10-minute display starting at 10.50pm.
The return of pyrotechnics to the city centre follows the cancellation in 2021 and 2022 of Ripon’s traditional New Year’s Eve displays, because of safety concerns about the launch area for the fireworks at the rear of the town hall.
This issue has now been resolved with approval given to a new launch area on The Arcade Car Park.
The Market Square, which has been decked in bunting created by Ripon Community Poppy Project, will be a focal point for the free-to-attend event organised by Ripon City Council to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Today (Saturday) from 11am until 8pm, there will be free fairground rides and from 3pm onwards there will be performances on stage from Cilla & Friends; Katherine Jenkins tribute, Midnight Soul Sisters, and an 80s Pop tribute band.
The Flash: Queen tribute band takes centre stage at 9.30pm to give a rousing build up to the fireworks finale.
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