Blisworth Canal Festival 2015 

 August 8th and 9th

As reporter for this annual event - this being the sixth - one is motivated to identify a theme which can be exploited. Well, optimism may be this year's theme in that, in the 'Mirror', a review of watery fêtes and festivals around the UK, the Blisworth Canal Festival was rated as high as fifth place, just pipping the "Sailing around the Scilly Isles" event! We are not that watery, to be honest. There were expected to be some more circusey items present in the The Field but I missed the stilt-walker on Saturday and then they didn't show up on Sunday. Some ferret racing was an absolute hoot and something of a challenge to photograph well . . . But easier were the wide range of animal subjects on show in the Blisworth House gardens. As before, the main organisers were Jan and Alan Andrews with many helpers both throughout the preceding year and on the days.

The weather was magnificent on Saturday, a little less so on Sunday, taking till 2pm to warm up nicely. We didn't have the Sunday washout like last year but somehow the crowds had decided Saturday would be their main choice and we should blame the Met Office for putting it about we were due for scattered rains throughout Sunday. The montage below aims to include a few new themes and avoid repeating images to be found on previous years. After all, this website is supposed to concentrate on history - in the making.

Retail trade was judged to be excellent and even frenetic in Picasso's Pantry where two days supplies were consumed on Saturday. At the Wharf, the Royal Oak, the Village Hall, the Chapel and the Church there was food laid on - also there were at least three mobile fast-food sales. Everything at the Wharf generated funds that were raised for the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital - a lovely idea. Every where else the stalls' fees were aimed at the Canal Partnership who maintain various leisure aspects of the Canal margins the year round.

I guess the organisers need to alter the centre-fold map in their programme since the entrance to the free field car park was relocated on the Towcester Road. The change made a tremendous improvement to village congestion however though frustrated some motorists who wanted to get to Gayton to take some route by Station Road. Live music in the evenings was provided at the Wharf by simply an 'open mic'. During the daytime the Scout band proved they were getting better and better - a real triumph in training considering the perfectly natural high turnover of players.

Bye . . .

This year, the catalogue images are not being reproduced since it has been pointed out that they add very little.