Musicians busked in the bright Bank Holiday sunshine in Ripon as performers in many different musical genres attracted extra footfall to the city’s streets.
The Ripon Indie event, organised by independent traders and featuring a host of highly-talented local and regional artists, was supported by Ripon Business Improvement District.
There was a large gathering on Kirkgate, where performers included the rock band Time Machine (main picture) and singer-songwriter Alannah Creed, pictured below.
The day also featured a Little Bird Artisan Market in the city centre which, alongside the musical entertainment and a team of Bollywood-style dancers, brought hundreds of people in to Ripon.
Buskers were strategically placed in Market Square, Westgate, North Street and The Arcade and their music acted as a magnet to those wishing to follow the busking trail.
Popular Ripon performers Lily Worth (above) and Freddie Cleary (below) were among the entertainers who showed the depth of young musical talent that the city boasts.
Yesterday’s event proved a natural follow-on from the successful street party held on Kirkgate on Easter Monday, which ran under the umbrella of the independents’ Totally Locally Campaign backed by Ripon BID.
Read more:
- Ripon beekeepers urge the public to report swarming bees
- Ripon businesses prepare to host theatre festival events
Harrogate’s Got Talent: Have you got what it takes to liven up the town?
Can you hang a tune, juggle a bit maybe or do a few nifty dance moves? If so, your town needs you.
Harrogate Business Improvement District, which is made up town centre businesses, is looking for new street entertainers to liven the town up and make shopping a more upbeat experience.
Matthew Chapman the Harrogate BID manager said:
“We are looking for entertainers from all genres whether it be singers, magicians, actors or dancers – anything that will add to the shopping and hospitality experience – the quirkier the better.”
Harrogate already has regular buskers who knock out Adele or Sinatra classics outside M&S on Cambridge Street in the hope of making money.
Mr Chapman says there’s no move to stop them. The aim is to provide a more consistent offer in the town and place entertainers in different areas, possibly at the rear of Primark on Oxford Street or at the end of Cambridge Street outside HSBC.
The BID has a small budget to support the new performers.
Read More:
- New Christmas express train from London to Harrogate
- Guide to Remembrance services in the Harrogate district
If you think you’ve got what it takes and want to get involved, get in touch with the BID. Mr Chapman said:
“If people have got videos or YouTube accounts then we can see them perform – or you can email us and come in for an audition. We want to create a vibrant town centre so that people can enjoy the experience as well as the retail and hospitality offerings.”
The BID is keen to trial new performers during the Xmas period and roll it out across next year.
To contact the BID email info@Harrogatebid.co.uk
Do you know that Harrogate has a long history of street entertaining and that in Victorian times it could all get a bit raucous? Read Harrogate Historian, Malcolm Neesam’s article on the very lively scene that existed in previous centuries.