Photos by Paul Bullivant
Our day on Twitter
Our friends at South Leeds Life have put together a collection of tweets about the 2014 Beeston Festival. You can view the comments and photos by following this link:
https://twitter.com/SouthLeedsLife/timelines/478102930466557952
Twitter is the ‘micro-blogging’ site where you can post comments of 140 characters or less.
Cycling activities at Beeston Festival
We have a host of cycling activities at this year’s Beeston Festival. We are tying in with the start of the Tour de France right here in Leeds on 5 July.
Right at the heart of the festival, close to the Main Stage you’ll find the Cycle Try Out Zone. Get Cycling are bringing all sorts of bikes and for you to try out including tandems, penny farthings and disability bikes.
Bike Art
Join our artists and help them create a mural on the back wall of the Watsonian Pavilion to celebrate the Tour de France in Leeds. Or help them with the graffiti car, creating a 3D advert for the Grand Depart as they re-decorate a car to be used at Kirkgate Market!
Always fancied yourself as a cycling champion? Poke your head through the hole of our photo board and get a friend take your fantasy picture!
Carnegie Bike-ability will be running sessions for children who can’t yet ride, plus bike games for more confident riders.
Cycle Maintenance
Does your bike need new brakes? Does the chain stick? Bring your bike and get it fixed up. We’ve lined up some technicians who will be sharing their expertise.
Bike Rides
Would you like to ride to Middleton Park and other green spaces, but you’re not confident? Join one of our organised rides, leaving from Maud Avenue. The rides are led by a qualified ride leader. Please bring your own bike.
Please check the programme to find the location of each activity.
Beeston Broncos bring rugby back to the festival
For the second year running Beeston Broncos Junior Rugby League Club will be taking part in the Festival. Their under 11s will be playing their Yorkshire Junior Rugby League fixture against Emley Moor under 11s, kicking off at 1pm at the bottom of the Park on the sports fields next to the Fun Fair.
Just before kick off the players from both teams will be introduced to Hilary Benn MP who was a keen spectator at last year’s game. Why not come along and support your local team pitting their wits against what is certain to be strong opposition from Kirklees.
The Broncos are always on the lookout for new players aged between 6 and 11, so why not come along with your kids and see what rugby league is all about?”
Festival programme released
The programme for this year’s festival has been produced.
It’s currently with the printers and will be distributed via local schools and other community venues from Monday 9 June. If you can’t wait that long you can download it here:
Programme Beeston Festival 2014
We would like to thank our friends at Absolute Design & Print for their help in putting this together.
Committee member cycles for charity
One of our committee members, Secretary Jeremy Morton, has been so inspired by our ‘Let’s Go Cycling’ theme that he has joined the Lord Mayor’s charity cycle ride.
Jeremy will be cycling 65 miles from Hull to Leeds on Sunday 4 May to raise money for the Lord Mayor’s LOFFTY (Leeds Offers Fun For The Young) charity.
Jeremy explains:
“The cause, providing activities for play for children in inner city Leeds, is close to my heart. It’s one of the reasons we put Beeston Festival on. And with year’s theme being cycling – well I couldn’t resist!”
If you would like to sponsor Jeremy, just go to his Just Giving page and click on ‘donate’.
UPDATE: Jeremy successfully completed the ride in just over 6 hours and has raised £570 for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. Well done Jeremy!
New York Brass Band confirmed for Main Stage
We are delighted to announce that the up and coming New York Brass Band will be playing on the main stage at Beeston Festival 2014.
Described by The Guardian as:
“A must see, stomping, genre-splicing brass outfit”
The band bring a New Orleans energetic style to classics such as I Want You Back, Empire State of Mind and Misirlou.
We are taking bookings for stalls
Stall bookings for the 2014 festival are now open.
The Bazaar is always a popular location at Beeston Festival with busy crowds browsing the 80-plus stalls. No matter what you have to sell, or information you want to get across to the people of Beeston, a stall at the festival is a must.
Bookings close on Friday 16 May to allow our volunteers to process the forms and allocate pitches. No bookings will be taken after this date, so don’t delay – book today!
Prices and conditions are explained on the form but if you have any queries please email: christine.thornton@mypostoffice.co.uk or phone (0113) 270 0875.
Let’s Go Cycling!
The theme for the 2014 Beeston Festival is “Let’s Go Cycling!”
We are tying in with the Grand Depart (start) of the Tour de France – the worlds greatest cycling event – which takes place in Leeds three weeks after Beeston Festival on 5th July 2014.
Beeston Festival, on Saturday 14th June, is sandwiched between Bike To School Week and National Bike Week. The festival plans to play its part in getting more local people using bikes for transport, for exercise and of course for fun.
There will be a large Bike Try Out Zone organised by Get Cycling. This will be at the heart of festival, located on the old bowling green, near the main stage.
Watch out too for cycle-powered smoothies, bike safety and bike maintenance and the launch of a new regular South Leeds Bike Ride.
Check back for more announcements of bike activities at the festival.
First act for 2014 announced: Celtarabia
Celtarabria have been unveiled as the first confirmed act for 2014, they will be playing on the main stage at Beeston Festival.
Celtarabia play a wild fusion of Arabic, Andalucian, Celtic, Medieval music and contemporary beats designed to get bodies dancing. Some of this country’s finest world dance musicians play the wildest cross-over music being made in England today. Featuring Hurdy-Gurdy, Hammered Dulcimer, Vocals, Cittern, African and Arabic Percussion, Drum kit, Didjeridu and Bass Guitar.
Listen to their music on Soundcloud.
Beeston Festival 