On-off festival a success
AROUND 1,000 people flocked to this year’s 13th annual Rishton Festival – undeterred by rain and doubts over the event going ahead.
The event went ahead at Norden High School on Saturday, July 2, despite confusion on Friday when the festival was initially called off and then reinstated.
Sarah Barton, who ran a stall with Rishton Community Association and took part in the festival preparations, said despite the organisational problems encountered by the event this year, it was still a ‘fantastic day’.
She said: “It was an absolutely fantastic event, the community really rallied together to make it happen which was the important thing, to make sure it happened.
“I was one of the stallholders and my husband was the chase car in the parade, and we helped organise it.
“We moved the fun day event inside the school but the footfall was still fantastic, I’d say we had 1,000 people plus across the day, in spite of the weather conditions. Rain doesn’t dampen the community spirit.”
Uncertainty had clouded the fate of this year’s festival after Rishton councillor Ken Moss reported that it had been cancelled at the last minute due to insurance costs.
Councillors Moss and Clare Cleary, as well as resident Jeff Scales, had stepped in to help organise this year’s event after previous event organisers Christine Hammerton and Malcolm Ward stepped down last year.
However, a dramatic turnaround saw the community group Switch On Rishton, led by treasurer Craig Brasenell, sweep in to save the family festival by extending their own event insurance to cover the parade and stalls.
This year had a ‘Historical Figures’ theme, and featured stalls as well as the traditional parade from Rishton station to Norden High School.
Sarah, who co-owns Barton and Hallworth funeral services, who have sponsored the festival in previous years, said the event had managed to recover well from the u-turn.
She said: “We had 20 stalls, which I thought was great considering it was on and off again. It was a truly fabulous event and it just goes to show that hard work by the Rishton community pays off.
“There was a Robin Hood, there were all different people dressed up as kings and queens, people still went to the trouble and the effort, although they knew it might not have been as well supported.”