Littleborough Rushbearing Festival 2011

Reporter: Laura Wild
Date online: 30 July 2011

Families descended on Hare Hill Park, Littleborough, on Saturday (30 July) for this year’s Littleborough Rushbearing Festival.

The weekend long festival began on Friday night with a folk sing-a-round at Littleborough Conservative Club and today a variety of activities have taken place in the park.

The sun beamed down on the day’s events, which included a dog agility display, a variety of colourful Morris dancing, a Viking battle re-enactment, entertainment courtesy of Littleborough Public Band, a Punch and Judy Show and the Rushcart Procession.

Popular treats for the children included face painting, fairground rides and circus skills.

Stall holders included the Littleborough Lions, the Littleborough Civic Trust and the NSPCC.

New to this year’s fun in the park was ‘Target Golf’ provided by the newly formed Rochdale Rochdale Rochdale group.

Also for the first time this year were learning activities for people to get involved with, from learning to play the guitar to learning a clog dance.

Russell Johnson from the Littleborough Civic Trust and a member of the organising group LEAF (Littleborough Events and Associations Forum), described the day as “very successful.”

He said: “It gets better every year; we have got more stalls this year which automatically brings more people out. There has been something going on all day and of course the weather is great – we ordered the weather!”

Mr Johnson continued: “Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. The children are bringing the parents in and the parents are bringing the children in.”

John Carney, Hare Hill Park’s Warden said: “The day is going great. There is a lovely turnout out - everyone is here!”

The festival continued on Sunday in Littleborough Square.