Queen is all smiles, all day, at Wasdale's May Festival

By Margaret Crosby

Last updated at 11:30, Thursday, 10 May 2012

WASDALE’S annual May Festival adopted a Royal Jubilee and Olympic theme this year and welcomed around 200 visitors to Nether Wasdale village for fun and games.

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The traditional Maypole dance was enjoyed by 15 local children and the Cumberland Morris Men entertained the crowds too. It is believed the Maypole was introduced at the time of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee so was very apt.

Whitehaven Band provided the music, including Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance and the ‘Queen’ also put in an appearance in the form of a 5ft high cut-out. Joe Walker (sporting his own crown) was presiding judge and announcer. A small committee, including chairman Rachel Putnam and secretary Janice Reynolds, organised the event.

A team of five runners, Peter Baines, Julian Carradice, Richard Harrison, Steve Walters and John McCurrie, carried the Olympic flame from the top of Scafell down to the event site to start the ‘games’ – the Children’s Sports events. Onlookers were able to watch their progress as they ran down the mountain and across the top of the Screes.

There was a fancy dress event for the children too and £540 was raised towards next year’s festival.

The figure of the Queen will have a second outing for the village’s Jubilee celebrations which will see 76-year-old fell-running legend Joss Naylor run right round the Wasdale valley, beating the bounds of the parish. People will be asked to pay £1 to guess how long it will take him to complete the run and the money will go towards a Victorian-style lampost for the village.

The proprietors of the Low Wood Hall Hotel have paid for Diamond Jubilee mugs to be given out to all the children of the Wasdale valley.

Festival results: Children’s posy competition: 1, Lizzie Putnam; 2, Olivia Poulton; 3, Daisy Edwards. Children’s fancy dress (under 5s): 1 (and overall winner) Olivia Poulton; 2, Ethel Harvey Chadwick; 3, Daisy Edwards. Children’s fancy dress (over 5s): 1, Lizzie Putnam; 2, Arthur Harvey Chadwick; 3, Garry Edwards.

First published at 11:08, Thursday, 10 May 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk