What superb weather we had for the weekend last week – and two Todmorden groups got the valley’s weekend off to a flying start from Friday afternoon.
All weekend a steady stream of visitors made their way to St Michael’s Church, Cornholme, for its summer flower festival where the theme of “Music and Musicals” proved a real hit.
The church, community groups and individuals who contributed 29 displays to this year’s event came up with imaginative arrangements, accompanied by pictures, text and memorabilia which really did cover all aspects of the theme.
They ranged from religious themes such as “Song of Mary”, “Evening Hymn” and “The Old Rugged Cross” to a nursery rhyme garden by the Little Angels Playgroup. Musicals were strong represented and included Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, Black Swan, Disney’s Lady And The Tramp, My Fair Lady, Cats, Les Miserables, Singing In The Rain, Top Hat, Sunset Boulevard, The Sound Of Music. and Oliver.
Classical music - Handel’s Water Music, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Strauss’s The Blue Danube and Brahms’s Lullaby - rubbed shoulders with rock in the form of Cliff Richard’s Summer Holiday and Alice Cooper’s School’s Out, and some exhibits coupled secular forms with religious themes like musicals Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar and rock star Bon Jovi’s Living On A Prayer.
Teas were served through the weekend and the cream teas available on the Friday only were very popular. A service of thanksgiving on Sunday closed the event.
Winifred Rogers of the organising team said the festival had raised a bumper £880 for church funds.
“Once we had established the theme everyone was left to use their own imaginations and came up with such brilliant ideas. There were some really big displays this year and they seem to get better!”
As well as groups, individuals also designed displays, including marvellous efforts from two 12-year-old children.
“I’m really proud of them all and we had a fantastic weekend,” she said.
Down in Todmorden town centre Todmorden C of E School held their summer fair in glorious sunshine and the school’s PTA was delighted to see lots of parents and friends of the school come along to support it.
They had lots to keep them busy, including a bouncy castle, stalls ranging from hook-a-duck to a wheel of fortune and a coconut shy, a raffle and a chocolate tombola, a cake stall and more.
Very popular was a penalty shootout game against the school’s sports coach while other volunteers were placed in the stocks.
They included Mayor of Todmorden Coun Jayne Booth who braved a succession of the cold water sponges which were at least cooling down the victims in the heat of the afternoon sun!
This week the school was totalling up how much money the event had
raised.