All photos by Paul Bullivant
All posts by jeremym0rton
The 2017 programme is out
The programme for Saturday’s festival is with the printers and will be distributed to schools and libraries shortly.
If you cannot wait, please download the documents here (please note these are very large files due to the graphics)
2016 Annual Report
Our Annual Report for 2016, which includes our accounts, was approved at our recent Annual General Meeting.
Download a copy here: beeston-festival-annual-report-2016
Change of date for 2017
The festival has been held in June for many years, but in 2017 we are moving the date to Saturday 15th July.
In 2017 the Islamic holy month of Ramadan falls in June. The Committee has discussed the issue with our partners from the local Muslim community. We have decided to put back the date to ensure everyone can enjoy all aspects of the festival.
So please put the date in your diary now:
Beeston Festival will be on Saturday 15th July 2017.
2016 Festival in photos
Our day on Twitter
Here is a collection of all the tweets we spotted about Beeston Festival 2016 on Twitter:
Festival programme released
The programme for the festival has been released today (17 May 2016).
It’s currently with the printers and copies will be distributed via schools and other communities venues, but you can download it here and now (file is 3.6 Mb):
The programme has details of the live music on our two stages: the Main stage with Leeds Music Trust and the Cloth Cat Stage, as well as the dance, martial arts and clown acts in the Arena.
A handy map will help you navigate Cross Flatts Park so you don’t miss anything from the 100 stalls in the Bazaar to the children’s activities, sports and fun fair.
A world of music on the main stage
Our line up of live music acts on the main stage will take us all around the globe from the Caribbean to the Ukraine via India, Cuba and Africa.
Headlining the 2016 festival will be The Ukrainians – Britain’s, if not the world’s, foremost Cossack folk-punk ensemble. Emerging out of the 80s indie band The Wedding Present, The Ukrainians blend fierce alternative folk pop with a smattering of trad tunes thrown in amongst Smiths and Velvet Underground covers (sung in Ukrainian).
“This is POP and it blows your trousers off!” NME
Leeds-based 7 piece Salsa and Cuban band Tarantismo bring you the spirit and sound of legendary Cuban artists with a generous serving of Salsa flavours.
An energetic musical set up bringing the best in roots reggae, pop, soul, r&b and blues. Get ready to shake off your worries because, as Bob Marley said “Every little thing is gonna be alright” when Mojah are performing for you.
Highly acclaimed singer Sumana Basu will perform songs ranging from Hindi classics to the latest Bollywood sizzlers.
Getting the show under way are Leeds’ own Silver Steel Sparrows, bringing their steel pan lilt to classic pop songs.
You can find videos of all our acts on the What’s On 2016 page.
Unity Homes & Enterprise sponsor Beeston Festival
Unity Homes & Enterprise has been announced as the main sponsor for this year’s Beeston Festival which takes place on Saturday 4 June in Cross Flatts Park.
Preparations are well under way for the big day which will feature live music from The Ukrainians; food from around the world; dance in the arena; sports, inflatables, arts and crafts; a fun fair; and of course dozens of stalls in the bazaar.
Ali Akbor, Unity’s Chief Executive said:
“Unity Homes and Enterprise has an historic association with Beeston Festival and we are proud to be lead sponsor once again.
“The event has become a highlight in the Leeds summer calendar and, alongside local residents, attracts many people from outside the area to celebrate what is best about Beeston.
“Unity owns a significant number of homes in the area with 18 new houses also under construction and others in the pipeline.
“We are strongly committed to Beeston and, through our support for the Festival, want to play the fullest possible part to promote the many cultural and community attractions it has to offer.”
Beeston Festival has also received funding from the Inner South Community Committee; Beeston & Holbeck councillors; City & Hunslet councillors; the BIG Lottery Fund; and Sport Relief Community Cash.
This post first appeared on South Leeds Life.
Can you help us this year?
Beeston Festival is a great day. As every year, the sun will shine, and thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds will gather in the park for music, food, entertainment, sport, and… linked to the Rio Olympics in August, this year’s festival theme is CARNIVAL. As well as a load of all-age carnival-themed activities, a major new feature for this year will be a street procession between 11am-12pm, which will arrive in the park to mark the start of the festival.
And we need YOU, or folk you know please: Beeston Festival can’t run without volunteers. Any chance you could help out on the day, or beforehand (eg postering, baking, cooking, etc – see below)? Or encourage folk you know to do so?
You’ll meet lots of lovely people, you might learn new stuff, it’s a laugh, and you’ll be making a real difference in the life of our community.
The festival runs between 12-5pm, but we need people anytime between 8am and 7pm. Roles include: set-up; chaperoning VIPs; stewarding, especially the street procession between 11am-12pm; ‘waste management’ (!); helping to run the kids and sports zones; staffing stalls, food stands, etc; child safety provision; judging the ‘best dressed stall’; running the BBQ; clearing down at the end; and more.
If you’re coming to run a stall, why not consider helping briefly with set-up or clear-down? And/or if you can’t help out on the day (or if you’re just really keen!), you might also want to: bake cakes, create samosas or snacks, or make jam for us to sell on the day; help promote the event around Beeston in the month beforehand; or help with other bits of event preparation.
Contact our volunteer co-ordinator Ed Carlisle at edcleeds@gmail.com for more info or to get involved. Please say what time you’re available, and if there are particular roles you’d like to do! Massive thanks in advance.
Beeston Festival 