Feast of fun in store as Batley Festival returns this weekend

Anarchic actors and Bollywood boppers will be hitting the streets when Batley Festival returns on Saturday.
One of the actors from Pif Paf. Photo by CJ Griffiths Photography.One of the actors from Pif Paf. Photo by CJ Griffiths Photography.
One of the actors from Pif Paf. Photo by CJ Griffiths Photography.

Now in its eighth year, the free, family-friendly event will see Batley Market Place and Memorial Gardens host a string of arts performances, craft activities and workshops between 11am and 5pm.

Highlights will include Artizani’s Lobster a la Cart - a giant crustacean street theatre puppet - which will be let loose for a show-stopping waltz in the town centre and theatre company Pif Paf who will perform their poetic and exciting show Seed.

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Outdoor performers Plunge Boom will be inviting families to get dirt under their fingernails with their show The Allotment while The Firm Band Baja will be recreating some of Bollywood and Bhangra’s biggest and best songs.

There will also be workshops and hands-on activities such as Bhangra and Polish dancing.

At the hub of the festival will be the Magnificent Marquee - a space where visitors can bring a picnic and enjoy craft activities and performances from Batley Community Choir and Sarah Taylor School of Dance.

In the town centre, the streets will be lines with artisan market stalls and food trucks.

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Attracting thousands of visitors each year, Batley Festival is run entirely by volunteers who have teamed up with arts programme Creative Scene for the event.

Kimberley Thirkill, chair of the event, said: “I am, once again, overjoyed to be revealing the line-up for Batley Festival. It is a huge community effort to put on Batley Festival each year and I want to thank the team of local volunteers, without who, none of this would be possible.

“I also want to pay tribute to our funders who have shown such faith in this festival as we continue to go from strength to strength.

“I can’t wait for families to see how we’re going to transform the town centre this year and to see how many more memories they make as they explore the arts, crafts and performances on offer.”

Nancy Barrett, Director of Creative Scene, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Batley Festival in 2019.”

For further information visit www.batleyfestival.co.uk.