King Charles III celebrated his coronation this year – and the Harrogate district certainly celebrated with him.

From street parties and parades to afternoon tea and live music, people went all out to mark the new king in May.

See our gallery below to look back on the royal celebrations near you.

Harrogate

Over the three-day weekend, Harrogate saw a range of celebratory events.

People gathered for an afternoon tea at the Oatlands Community Centre, others watched a livestream on the big screen in the Valley Gardens.

Local businesses also showed their colours — and some four-legged friends even waved the flag for the day.

Afternoon tea at Oatlands Community Centre.

The Valley Gardens was also looking patriotic for the occasion.

People watched a livestream in the Valley Gardens.

Local businesses got into the royal spirit.

Betsy got coronation ready too!

Ripon

Ripon kicked off the royal celebrations with a live performance from Complete Madness in the Market Square.

Services in the cathedral and street parties followed, and surrounding villages gathered to mark the occasion too.

Former Ripon Grammar School student, 72-year-old Bruce Oldfield, even designed Queen Camilla’s coronation dress.

Fountains Abbey was lit up in honour of the King.

Floral displays created by the Ripon Cathedral Flower Guild and Ripon Flower Club. 

Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Ms Jo Ropner and the Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson.

Complete Madness kicking off the celebrations.

Residents of Carr Close threw a street party.

Around 100 people partied on the street.

Masham and Kirkby Malzeard

Masham and Kirkby Malzeard residents came out in their droves to celebrate the royal event.

There was a car rally, a float parade, BBQs, maypole dancing and more.

Masham had a float parade.

Maypole dancing in Kirkby Malzeard.

Vintage cars also rallied as part of the parade.

Knaresborough

Knaresborough House held a livestream of the coronation service, as well as a Coronation Concert over the weekend.

The concert, which was held at Knaresborough Castle, celebrated at music through time and people smiled as the sun shone down.

Livestream at Knaresborough House.

Hundreds gathered for the Coronation Concert.

Knitting Pretty and Number Thirteen in Knaresborough were decorated for the coronation.

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Summer may be drawing to a close but weekend activities across the district are certainly not.

Whether you’re looking for an evening with Oscar Wilde, a win for the Lionesses, or just a family picnic in the sun, we’ve collated a list of all that’s on offer this weekend in the Harrogate district.

FEVA FESTIVAL – Knaresborough

This weekend sees the final few days of Knaresborough’s FEVA.

The arts festival includes exhibitions, live music and theatre.

An adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility will be held at Knaresborough Castle this evening from 7pm – tickets start at £20.

Knaresborough Library will also host An Evening with Wes Martin – a Knaresborough-based bestselling crime author – and Aubrey Parsons, a vocal performer who has worked for Disney, the BBC and Audible.

Mr Martin will be on hand to answer all questions crime-related, as well as signing books, while Ms Parsons will be reading some of her favourite extracts from The Yorkshire Murders. The event is £5 to attend.

The free Picnic in the Park will take place outside Knaresborough House tomorrow from midday to 5pm.

Simply bring along a picnic and enjoy an afternoon of live music.

Knaresborough Lions’ Beer Festival will also be held at Knaresborough House this weekend and will showcase 25 special beers, as well as wine, cider, and lager.

The beer festival is free to attend and begins this evening at 5pm. It will also run from midday to 11pm on Saturday, August 18, and midday to 5pm on Sunday, August 19.

For a full breakdown of this weekend’s events, click here.

Women’s World Cup Final: England vs Spain

 Sunday sees the nail-biting final between the Lionesses and La Roja.

Harrogate’s own Rachel Daly has helped the team reach their first ever World Cup final and will be supported by many local fans.

Several venues across the district will have live screenings of the match, which kicks off at 11am GMT.

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest – Ripon Spa Gardens

An adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest will be performed in Ripon Spa Gardens tomorrow evening.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company, based in in Lincoln, will be putting on the show as part of its Open Theatre Air Tour.

Attendees are encouraged to enjoy a picnic beneath the stars by bringing food, blankets and chairs.

Gates open at 6pm and the show will begin at 7pm – tickets start at £20.90 for adults.

Knaresborough’s Calcutt Gala celebrates 20th year

 Calcutt Gala will be returning for its 20th anniversary on Sunday.

The event, which will be held at Knaresborough Forest Cricket Club, will include a martial arts demonstration, live music, a BBQ and bar, as well as an ice cream van and tombola.

The Cricketers will also be streaming the World Cup final before the gala.

The gala begins at midday and entry is £2 for ages 12 upwards.

All funds raised will be donated to the cricket club.

Read more:

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Knaresborough’s festival feel this month will be lubricated by the return of the town’s annual beer festival.

Beer will be flowing from 5pm on Friday, August 18 to Sunday, August 20 at Knaresborough House. Entry is free.

Knaresborough Lions has once again organised the event as part of the town’s 10-day arts festival Feva.

Drinkers will be able to choose from 22 beers and seven ciders, along with lager, Prosecco, wine, Aperol Spritz and non-alcoholic drinks. There will also be a burger bar.

The beers include local favourites from Harrogate-based Roosters Brewing Company and other Yorkshire breweries as well as ales from further field, including Cornwall and Norfolk.

Ciders range from a traditional scrumpy to a perry or a marmalade-flavoured offering.

The main date is the Saturday afternoon when the beer festival will run alongside Feva’s Picnic in the Park at Knaresborough House.

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Lions president Bob Godsell said:

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed for sunshine again this year.

“Our profits from the beer sales help finance Picnic in the Park, so we’re looking forward to people being able to enjoy the live music with a delicious pint in hand.”

Visitors can buy a starter pack of six tokens for £12 which entitles them to three pints and a commemorative glass. Otherwise tokens will be on sale for £2 each with all pints priced at £4.

Sessions run from Friday 5pm-11pm, Saturday midday-11pm and Sunday midday-5pm — or until the beer runs out.

Further information, including taster notes, is available on the Knaresborough Lions Facebook page.

Photo shows (left to right), Lions Lynn Nudds, Jeremy Crow, Mark Flood, Martin Brock, Jon Smithells, Tony Pedel and Matt Walker

Knaresborough Civic Society has called on North Yorkshire Council to protect Knaresborough House from vandalism.

The High Street building is one of the Knaresborough’s grandest properties and was built in 1768 for the town’s former vicar.

It’s now owned by the new council after previously being in the hands of Harrogate Borough Council until it was abolished on March 31.

The Northallerton-based authority is currently advertising office space to rent inside Knaresborough House.

But according to the civic society, which has a motto of ‘protect, preserve and conserve’, the building is in a poor state of repair following a spate of vandalism.

Andrew Grinter, secretary at the civic society, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the group has written to the new council to ask when boarded-up windows will be replaced.

He said:

“It appears that Knaresborough House has been facing vandalism issues for a while and we would like to know what, if any, plans are in place to restore the boarded windows and address the continuous problem of vandalism?

“[We’d like to know] what steps have the local council, the police and others taken to address the worsening situation and protect individuals using the building or its grounds particularly for civic duties?

“And have there been any efforts to engage with the community, particularly youth groups, to address the root causes of anti-social behaviour?”

Long-term concerns

North Yorkshire Council is facing much-publicised cost pressures that are set to continue over the next few years.

It is estimated the council will cut £70m over the next three years just to balance its books.

One of the new unitary council’s early cost-cutting programmes will be to sell off some of the former district, borough and county council properties, which comes to more than 3,500 properties excluding schools.

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Although there is no indication at this stage that Knaresborough House will sold,  Mr Grinter raised concerns that the cost-savings could lead to further decline at the property.

He added:

“As far as cost saving budgets are concerned, we want to know what criteria are being used to determine which properties are deemed surplus to requirements?

“One obvious concern is that under-investment, including in Knaresborough House, aligns with the council’s overall cost-saving strategy and this will impact on decisions concerning the upkeep and repair of one of Knaresborough’s key heritage assets.”

North Yorkshire Council has been approached for comment.

Residents in Knaresborough have spoken of how a coronation event was much needed for the town.

Hundreds flocked to Knaresborough House today to celebrate King Charles III being coronated.

The forecast showers stayed away as those in attendance witnessed His Majesty’s coronation and procession down the Mall.

For Clare Robinson and Emma Jenner, of Community Stars CIC, the event was much needed for family and friends in the town.

The pair hosted a bakery and sandwich stall at Knaresborough House.

Clare said:

“It’s started to pick up this afternoon. It’s just been a lovely family day for the town.”

Emma Jenner and Clare Robinson, of Community Stars CIC.

As the afternoon wore on, children started to take advantage of the craft and face painting stalls on offer.

A big screen in place at the event showed King Charles entering the Buckingham Palace balcony, which was met with plenty of flag waving and cheers.

Bob Godsell, activities chairman at Knaresborough Lions, said the event was reward for everything the town has been through over the past few years.

Bob, who hosted the bar at Knaresborough House, said:

“I’m glad that the weather has been better.

“This is good for the town, especially after the past few years that we have had.”

Read more:

• Coronation celebrations underway in Harrogate district
• How Ripon Catherdal is marking the coronation

Two children have admitted being responsible for an outbreak of graffiti in Knaresborough.

Graffiti appeared throughout the town early this month, including on Knaresborough House and on High Bond End and Boroughbridge Road.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said today:

“Following enquiries, those who were responsible for the graffiti — two children aged 14 and 15 — have been identified and have taken responsibility.

“They have agreed to a community resolution disposal and will be taking part in removing the graffiti and will be receiving an appropriate educational and restorative input to teach them about impact of graffiti on the community and local businesses.”

Community resolution disposals are usually issued to remorseful first-time offenders and do not constitute a criminal record.

Some of the recent graffiti

The clerk of Knaresborough Town Council told the Stray Ferret it had been “very concerned about the amount of graffiti” that had appeared recently.

The clerk said individual councillors had been trying to tackle the problem with the help of CCTV, adding:

“Knaresborough Town Council is currently asking for more CCTV coverage behind Knaresborough House.”

She added the mayor, Cllr Kathryn Davies recently organised a drop-in session with the police on Stockwell estate following reports of anti social behaviour in that area.

Graffiti at Knaresborough House

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The coronation will be broadcast live on a big screen in the grounds of Knaresborough House on Saturday, May 6.

Knaresborough Town Council announced today it had secured access to a locally sourced LED screen for what it hopes will be a joyful day of picnics and celebration.

Besides showing the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the free event will also include the broadcast of two family films.

Town councillor James Pickard, chair of the council’s king’s coronation working group, said:

“We are looking forward to welcoming the Knaresborough community and visitors alike to share this once in a lifetime event.  It’s not often we get to see a king crowned.

“We hope the day will be a relaxed event where people can simply come and soak up the atmosphere whilst watching the ceremony.

“We plan to extend the day by showing two family films throughout the afternoon. This will be a free local event for the entire community to enjoy.”

Cllr Pickard added the grounds were a natural theatre with scope for catering for large crowds throughout the day, from 10am to 5pm.

He added people were welcome to bring picnics but food and refreshment stalls would also be available.

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Town councillor Hannah Gostlow, who is also a member of the working group, added:

“It’s great that both residents and visitors to Knaresborough will have a fantastic opportunity to come together to view the king’s coronation live on a big screen at the iconic location of Knaresborough House.

“The event will give everyone the opportunity to have a memorable experience to mark this exciting and historic event.”

One of the largest annual arts festivals in the Harrogate district is set to get underway.

Feva, the festival of entertainment and visual arts, takes place at a host of venues in Knaresborough from August 12 to 21.

Supported by Knaresborough Town Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Knaresborough Lions and Piccadilly Motors, this will be its 26th year.

The festival traditionally ends with the free picnic in the park in the grounds of Knaresborough House on the final Saturday.

The picnic is due to take place this year but there will also be a folk festival the following day. Street entertainers will perform in Knaresborough throughout the festival.

Headline acts include saxophonist Snake Davis (pictured above), who will be appearing with his Alligator Shoes band at King James’s School on August 16.

A new feature this year is a children’s art day.

About 40 events will take place at more than 20 venues over the 10 days.

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Many shops decorate their windows pink in support of the arts event.

Gwen Lloyd, chairperson of the committee for Feva, which is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers, said:

“The whole ethos of Feva is that it’s a community festival run for the community.

“It encompasses the whole of the town and we try to ensure there are lots of free events.”

Yorkshire Life Aquatic performed dry land synchronised swimming last year.

Knaresborough is to host a community history festival over the jubilee weekend to give people a taste of what can be expected at the town’s new museum

The festival will take place at Knaresborough House next week from 10am to 4:30pm each day from Thursday to Saturday.

Knaresborough Museum Association has organised the event ahead of the launch of the town’s museum in February next year.  

The museum will be in the old Castle Girl’s School, near Knaresborough Castle.

The history festival will display artefacts from the museum’s eight exhibition zones, including a model railway of the town centre, fossils dating back 350 million years and a Victorian scrapbook showing Knaresborough’s celebrations of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887.  

Chairperson of the association, Kathy Allday, said:  

“This is a vital stepping stone to the museum’s opening, and I’m so delighted we have reached this stage. 

“We’ve uncovered some hidden history while unearthing the treasured artefacts, which will help us build the museum’s displays and show off this town’s fascinating past.” 

A medieval tradition will be revived for the three-day festival, whereby a scribe will create a unique manuscript from any confessions and pledges visitors put forward.  The festival will also include:

• A four-metre long model railway showing Knaresborough town centre, including its viaduct and railway station
• Two one-metre wide paintings by local artist and fossil specialist James McKay
• Demonstrations of heritage crafts, including medieval manuscript writing, leather working and rag rugging
• Fossils dating back 350 million years and prehistoric artefacts found in people’s gardens
• An architectural design model showing the entire museum in 3D
• A special Jubilee display including a Victorian bound scrapbook showing all the festivities in Knaresborough in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee
• A Victorian school-themed children’s play area, including Victorian desks and chalk boards, materials, historic dressing up clothes and opportunities to create your own family crest and Victorian potion bottle.
• Separate displays across the three days from local community groups including Renaissance Knaresborough, the rotary club, the Royal British Legion, The Historical Society, First Responders, the Civic Society, and the Claro Group, who’ve produced historic books about Knaresborough.

There will also be free guided walks around Knaresborough’s historic centre at 11am and 2pm on each day of the event. These are bookable in advance via the KMA website or by emailing volunteers@knaresboroughtownmuseum.org

The museum has been funded by donations from local businesses and individuals, with more than £47,000 being raised so far.  

Once open, it will use its flexible exhibition space to run workshops and events for schools and community groups.