A month-long celebration of a North Yorkshire town’s heritage and culture is set to get under way in August with a packed catalogue of entertainment.
The first ever Skipton Now festival promises fun for families, visitors and residents, with everything from historical guided walks to pop-up cinema screenings.
People of all ages can immerse themselves in the activities taking place in areas of Skipton which have benefitted from the Skipton High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) project.
The festival gets off to a lively start with Yorkshire Day on Tuesday, 1 August, celebrating God's Own Country with various Yorkshire-themed activities.
Our HSHAZ team will have a stall in the High Street where visitors can pick up a free Skipton Now programme outlining what is to come in the month ahead.
Executive member for culture, housing and leisure, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “Skipton Now will be a unique celebration of the town and I am sure it will be extremely popular with people of all ages.
“A lot of hard work has gone into the festival and it is a credit to all those involved, including Skipton BID and the town council, as well as the team here at North Yorkshire Council.
“It will be an unforgettable month kicking off on Yorkshire Day.”
There will be plenty for people to try their hand at, including being a curator for the day at Craven Museum, learning knitting and crochet techniques with Yarndale, painting in the Roses and Castles canal boat style, writing and producing a song, or becoming a photographer using just your mobile phone.
Other highlights include an Anthony Horowitz play at Skipton Little Theatre and a Mad Scientist Silent Disco at Skipton Town Hall.
The HSHAZ scheme is funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and administered by Historic England and seeks to use the historic fabric of the town to regenerate the High Street.
Many of the events are running throughout the month, such as Fresh Perspective's interactive paint by numbers trail around Skipton, highlighting the heritage of the town’s buildings.
There is also the chance to entertain children for free every Wednesday from 26 July to 23 August at recreational areas in Skipton, featuring bouncy castles and giant games.