Bring a parent or guardian to “Showtime” Goosnargh Village Hall – Sunday 4th February.
Register your name between 12noon and 1pm, when the entertainment will begin. Draw by Queen Niamh at 2pm. Secondary School pupils living in the Parish of Goosnargh or the Parish of Whittingham are eligible.
That’s a huge area including Whitechapel and Bleasdale. Have a look here for more information.
Festival Queen Niamh and The Festival Committe wish you and your families a Happy Christmas and a stunning New Year 2018.
Festival preparations begin with our ‘Concert for a Queen’ Selection Day event starting at 1pm on Sunday 4th February.
Musical Theatre Students from Preston’s College and Dancers from the Carol May Academy will join pupils from Goosnargh Oliverson’s, St Francis’ and Whitechapel in a spectacular afternoon’s entertainment in Goosnargh Village Hall PR3 2BH. The event is co-ordinated by Alex Johnson.
Candidates to be Festival Queen will Register their names between 12 noon and 1pm ready for Niamh to select her successor at around 2pm.
High School Pupils resident in the parishes of Goosnargh and Whittingham are eligible to apply and must be supported by a parent/guardian. See here for a Parish map.
All the details in the New Year.
Our theme for 2018, to mark the centenary of the end of World War 1, is
PEACE and HARMONY
Festival Day 2018 is Saturday 2nd June
The Festival AGM will take place at the Grapes Inn 7.30pm Tuesday 21st November.
This is a public meeting. Please come along and hear about the work of the Festival Committee.
We will be selecting our Festival Queen 2018 at a concert to be attended by the Deputy Mayor of the City of Preston. The event will begin at 1pm on Sunday 4th February and all of our local Primary Schools will be taking part.
A massive thank you to Alex Johnson and his team, who could not have put more effort into the success of the Festival’s Hallowe’en Disco.
Young revellers and their families packed the Village Hall and a huge variety of fantastic costumes and DJ Colin’s stage set & lighting completed the amazing transformation.
Hot Dogs & Fries fresh from the fryer, Curry & Rice and a mountain of fabulous spooky cakes kept the kitchen team working flat out and the evening flew by.
Special thanks to Abbie Landless (7!) who was our meet and greet – not so scary – witch in the foyer all evening. Abbie, you really helped put the youngest children at ease.
Thank you for all your donations of cakes & prizes – a really great night was had by all!
We will be selecting our Festival Queen 2018 at a concert to be attended by the Mayor & Mayoress of the City of Preston. The event will begin at 1pm on Sunday 4th February and all of our local Primary Schools will be taking part.
The Autumn jumble sale raised a fabulous £1489.38
Once more it was down to the generosity of the local community that goods donated proved attractive to the buyers and we are particularly grateful to all who gave up their Saturday to help us with the selling and clearing. We counted 20 non- committee members working on the various stalls and we are immensely grateful – we could not do it without you! You may have noticed a team of young Police Cadets working with us. They were brought along by PC Chris Banks and did a splendid job assisting in all sorts of ways. Thanks also to Festival Queens Niamh & Roisin, Beth and young Thomas for all your help.
All set for a day to remember!
Excitement is building in the village as finishing touches are put to Floats, Flower Power Wheelbarrows & Fancy Dress costumes.
The Committee would like to thank everyone who will be helping to make New Queen Niamh’s day unforgettable.
There are several very welcome surprises in store on the day and we would like to let everyone know that the dancing outside The Grapes will begin at 1.20pm with three performances for the first time. The Procession will get underway at 2pm as always, the crowning will be at around 3pm, with Tea in the Village Hall to round off the day.
We are delighted to be welcoming as our special guests Guy and Carol Topping representing Barton Grange. As well as judging the Float section, Guy is to present a new award to the Festival Queen. The Tom Kirby Rosebowl is given as a tribute to Tom and a mark of the esteem in which he was held at Barton Grange. It was Tom, always interested and supportive of the work of the Festival Committee, who arranged for the Barton Grange Group Float Trophy to be given to the Festival to mark the Millennium and we know our Festival Queens will treasure this new award.
Joining Guy and Carol as Judges are Tom’s daughter, Helen Roberts and her husband Alan, who will judge the Fancy Dress competition and completing the Judging team Rebecca Birkby and Jackie Cockayne will be out and about on Festival morning judging the decorated shops, houses and wheelbarrows.
Special guest Andrew Wallbank with his wife Kirsty will represent Longridge and North Preston Rotary. Andrew is to present a donation of £500 to the Festival in memory of Tom and we would like to thank the Rotarians for their most valuable support.
We are grateful to Guild Park for offering their car park no. 1 for the use of residents and visitors on the day. There is also parking on The Stags car park and along The Avenue for those staying in the village for the afternoon. The road closure order is from 1.00 to 4.45pm with diversions in operation to ensure the safety of participants and spectators.
Please remember to bring along an umbrella/parasol – hopefully the latter!
And do please offer your help on the day.
We need bakers, help with the Celebration Tea (especially from 4pm), and help to set up and dismantle the staging on The Square.
Huge thanks to our Raffle Prize Donors
This year our top prize is a Lady’s Diapason all-around V Necklace and Earring Set donated by George Banks Jewellers & valued at £219
Second Prize is a Weber black original weatherproof 57cm Kettle Barbecue donated by Barton Grange Garden Centre & valued at £169.99
Third Prize is the Festival Cash Prize of £150
plus many more wonderful prizes of Vouchers and Gifts donated by local restaurants, shops & businesses
Buy your tickets now where you see the sign “Raffle Tickets Sold Here”, beat the crowds, and help us with one of the major fund raisers for the Festival.
Outlets include The Chippy and The Grapes Inn.
On Festival Day there will be two Raffle vehicles. Look out for them opposite Bushell House and in the Stags Head car park.
Andy Thiele, our Raffle co-ordinator would like to thank Longridge & North Preston Rotary Club for sponsoring the cost of printing the Raffle Tickets; the local Primary Schools for supporting us and all our helpers on Festival Day.
Festival Day is fast approaching and Festival Queen elect Niamh is set to make history by succeeding her sister Roisin, who will crown her and then support her throughout her reign.
If you are still looking for a way to join in the fun a float can simply be a decorated car and trailer filled with family and friends! Register before the end of May – all the details from the Secretary Tel: 865840
Festival 2017 has the theme FLOWER POWER and don’t miss our new competition for decorated wheelbarrows to be judged on Festival morning along with the usual Decorated Shop Windows and House Fronts. There’s still time to enter – just pick up a form from The Chippy and help to make the village look really colourful on Festival Day.
Entries must be returned by 6pm on Friday 2nd June and Judges, Rebecca Birkby and Jackie Cockayne will be out and about from 10am on Festival morning.
Fancy Dress is also “Enter on the Day” – just register at 1.10pm in Oliverson’s playground ready for Judges Alan & Helen Roberts to make their decisions at 1.20pm. Fancy dress competitors then join the Procession and Trophy winners are announced on The Square. Please note that there is a trophy for the most original idea as well as for the
overall best entry.
All Float vehicles will be in place by 1pm – lining up along Goosnargh Lane and everyone riding on a float is asked to be on board by 1.25pm with Judging by Guy and Carol Topping beginning at 1.30pm from the tennis courts.
As usual the Procession will be a feast of music and dancing and the Manchester Phoenix Pipe Band will be visiting us for the first time, joining the Eclipse Parade Band, BwD Student Big Band and of course The Longridge Band in creating a real carnival atmosphere.
The Festival theme has been chosen as a tribute to Tom Kirby and we are delighted to be welcoming Special Guests Guy and Carol Topping, representing Barton Grange. Guy is to present a new award to the Festival, The Tom Kirby Rosebowl, which will be presented each year to the newly crowned Queen.
We are especially looking for all the young “Bake Off” fans out there. Bake us your favourite cakes and PLEASE come along to the Village Hall on Festival morning from 8.30am to help prepare the Celebration Tea. If you can spare just half an hour that would be fantastic. Help is equally needed from 4pm to keep the teapots charged and the buffet table refilled.
Tea is free for all invited guests and children in the Procession, others are very welcome to join them for just £3.
All the Festival chairs have been replaced as promised following our Autumn Festival Ball and help is needed from 9am on Festival morning to provide transport to The Square and help to set up the Arena for the crowning; and again to return everything at the end of the afternoon.
Please contact Nik Birkby or Tel: 865840 to volunteer for his Procession Marshalling Team. Briefing takes place in the Village Hall at 12 noon on Festival Day and high viz jackets are provided. It is vital that we have marshals at each junction to reinforce the Road Closure Order and ensure the safety of the Procession.
We have wonderful support from PC Chris Banks and his team but they are not permitted to act as Marshals.
Dedicated to Tom Kirby
The Committee has great pleasure in inviting you to take part in the Festival Procession!
This year’s optional theme for Floats, Fancy Dress, Shops and Houses
A Celebration Tea will be served in the Village Hall from 4:00pm
Judging on Festival Morning.
Village volunteers are needed for many small tasks on the day. Please come to the Village Hall on Festival morning, call in at “Goosnargh Chippy”, speak to any Committee Member, Tel: 865840 or use our contact form.
See here for a fantastic article from our friends in the Annapolis valley about their trip to Goosnargh.
Welcome! 