BREAKING NEWS
The leisure centre has just announced that it will be putting on some food at the Valentine Moon Céilidh. 200 portions of pie and peas (meat or cheese pies in equal amounts) will be available on a first come first served basis.
The leisure centre has just announced that it will be putting on some food at the Valentine Moon Céilidh. 200 portions of pie and peas (meat or cheese pies in equal amounts) will be available on a first come first served basis.
Click a link for more information
- View the Wilberlee Rocket!
- Moonraking Radio - tune in and listen on line as it happens - Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
- Download the program or the Poster - in .pdf format - needs Adobe Reader
- Parking Solutions - Where and where not to park.
- Accommodation - places to stay around Slaithwaite
- Lantern making workshops - see the full program
- Download the Window Lanterns Flyer
- Story Telling Workshops - limited places
- Valentine Moon Céilidh - buy your tickets from local shops
- Tales around Town - free admission all at venues around the village
- The Magic Postman - puppet theatre at its best
- Slick Sticks Sambastic - A samba percussion workshop
- Tunes and Tales Night - Music by Belinda O'Hooley - stories by Christine McMahon
- Stories on the Train - stories on the move - First Photos of the Trip
- The Moonraking Lantern Finale - the biggest show in Slaithwaite
Parking.
- A traffic warden will be on duty! View a map showing parking.
- It will save problems if you travel to the festival by public transport.
- Click here for a map of suitable parking areas
- Please respect the rights of local villagers and businesses when parking.
Lantern Making Workshops
- This is where anyone who wishes can learn the art of lantern making for the bargain cost of £1.50 per person per 2 hour session including materials.
- Pay on the door - at this bargain price there can be no concessions.
- Usually two sessions are needed to make a lantern. When you have finished your lantern you must take it home with you.
- Two sessions on Sunday the 15th, with four sessions per day starting on Monday the 16th February through Thursday the 19th.
Due to the popularity of these sessions, it may be necessary to close entry for a session if it gets full. - Times are as follows:
- Sunday : 10.30 am and 1.30 pm
- Monday through Thursday : 10.30am,1.30pm, 4.30pm and 7.30pm
- The lantern making instructors will be led by Sky.
The Taffy Thomas Storytelling Workshop
- Venue - The Watershed, Bridge Street
- Saturday 14 February
- One workshop: 1.30pm repeated at 3pm. Doors open 15 minutes before the workshop.
- All tickets £5. Pay on the door.
- Legendary storyteller and raconteur Taffy Thomas returns to Slaithwaite to host a workshop for adults interested in developing their own storytelling skills.
- Taffy will be dipping into his own repertoire of several hundred stories, tales and elaborate lies, facilitating an informal practical session where participants can swap stories on a one to one basis.
- This workshop, repeated at 3pm, is ideal for teachers, librarians, youth leaders, students, parents and grandparents.
- For more information contact The Watershed on 01484 843030
Valentine Moon Céilidh
- Venue - Slaithwaite Leisure Centre
- Saturday 14 February 7.30pm to 11pm. Doors open at 7pm.
- Tickets: £6 for adults, £4 for under 16s.
- Available from O.Blackburn Ladies and Gents Outfitters, 6 and 7 Carr Lane, Slaithwaite.
- Telephone 01484 842 350 visit their web site
- Chocolate and Gifts 1 New Street.Shop, Slaithwaite, Telephone 01484 844041
- M. Roberts 'Books and ?????', 3 Britannia Road, Slaithwaite, Telephone 01484 842 141
- Start off the 2009 Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival in great style and celebrate St
Valentine’s Day with our‘Valentine Moon Céilidh’.
After last year’s ‘squeeze’ we’re moving to the newly refurbished Leisure Centre.
More space, more entertainment and more fun for all the family.
- Come and dance to the Moonraker Band with caller
Gill Bond.
The evening hosts a cabaret of special guests including magic and illusion from High Jinx, a brother and sister illusion and magic act.
In 2007 High Jinx were the youngest ever winners of the most prestigious award for stage magic in the country.
Taffy Thomas is a legend in himself and we’re delighted to welcome him back to the Festival as he tells us some more tales from his famous Tale-Coat.
As if all that wasn't enough,- the Colne Valley Percussion Ensemble will be presenting the world premiere performance of Moon Dance.
- and you will see and hear shadow puppets performing the story of Moon Man.
It promises to be a great night out for all the family.
Tales around Town
- Venue - Slaithwaite Centre
- Sunday 15 February - FREE
- Story-tellers Ruth Boycott-Garnett and Rachel Murray will be in venues around Slaithwaite all Sunday afternoon telling tales.
- Watch out for special posters giving more information on where and when.
- Local girl Ruth Boycott-Garnett is starting out on a storytelling quest.
She is also our Moonraking Story-teller ‘in residence’ and is joining us for the week, popping up at events with a tale to tell.
- Brought up with a painting of the ‘Moonraking Incident’ on the sitting room wall, the legend of Moonraking is a story that’s been in Rachel Murray’s life for as long as she can remember. A Huddersfield lass born and bred, she now lives in Derbyshire but maintains strong links with her roots and is looking forward to telling tales on ‘home ground’. Her stories transport audiences from jungles to deserts and from castles to the hearth side. Never failing to entertain, Rachel appeals to audiences of all ages from the very young to the young at heart.
The Magic Postman
Slick Sticks Sambastic
- Venue - The Watershed, Bridge Street On Tuesday 17 February with two performances: 11am to 12 noon and 2pm to 3pm.
Doors open 15 minutes before each performance.
All tickets £4. Pay on the door
A magical show for children and families. Andy Stamps, the Magic Postman, travels via space on an arctic adventure to The North Pole. There he meets a magic reindeer and rescues a baby polar bear. Lots of fun with live music, magic, puppets and songs.
A Satellite Arts production.
Slick Sticks Sambastic
- An Open Rehearsal at The Watershed, Bridge Street
- Tuesday 17 February 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Doors open at 7.15pm.
- All tickets £2. Pay on the door. Suitable for people aged 13 years and over.
Slick Sticks Sambastic will be rehearsing in readiness for Saturday’s Moonraking procession.
Come along and learn some funky rhythms AND get the chance to play with the band in the procession around the village.
You can see photos of the band at www.slicksticksambastic.com
Tunes and Tales Night
- At The Watershed, Bridge Street on
Wednesday 18 February from 7.30pm. Doors open at 7.15pm.
Tickets: £5 for adults. £3 for under 16s and for anyone taking part. Pay on the door.
- The floor is yours in this ‘Open Mike’ evening. Come and tell a story, play a tune or
sing a song. This delightful patchwork of an evening is woven around two wonderful
acts, Christine McMahon, and Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow. If you would like to
take part please email gill@satellitearts.org.uk for a floor spot.
- Christine McMahon is a vibrant Storyteller with a growing international reputation.
Her ready wit and love of traditional folk tales combine with her background in drama
and psychology to create wonderful worlds of stories. Not only a performer, Christine
has a unique talent for improvisational Story making, guiding audiences of any age to have the confidence to create stories from their own imaginations. She is a regular at the Shaggy Dog Club in Hebden Bridge.
- Songwriter and pianist Belinda O’Hooley is joined by co-songwriter and performer Heidi Tidow. Northern folk, rock, contemporary classical, plus a touch of comedy have all been used to describe Belinda’s music. In reality, her performances contain all this plus much more. Together, Belinda and Heidi combine a well-crafted songbook interweaving sublime harmonies with a touch of (very funny) northern banter.
The Story Train
- Slaithwaite to Stalybridge – and back again! NEW for 2009 -
Friday 20 February.
- Meet at Slaithwaite Station at 10.30am or 12.30pm. Ideal for children and families.
Come on a storytelling adventure as we take the train from Slaithwaite to Stalybridge,
hearing stories as the train climbs out of the Colne Valley and makes its way through
Standedge Tunnel, the third longest in Britain. We arrive at Stalybridge where we will
be met by storyteller Rachel Rose Reid. Leaving the train we will enter the magical
station buffet where Rachel will help us to follow our dreams with tales of Mermaids
and moon-gazing.
- Refreshments will be available.
- Rachel is making a return to the
Festival after her extremely successful debut in 2008. You can see more about her at www.rachelrosereid.com. We return by train to Slaithwaite arriving back at the station two and a half hours after leaving.
- Special Story Train tickets – save money and book early. NOW SOLD OUT
Tickets for this unique storytelling adventure include all the storytelling and refreshments, and return train travel from Slaithwaite to Stalybridge.
Prices are £8 for adults and £5 for children.
These special Moonraking tickets MUST be booked in advance by Friday 13 February, and there are only 30 for each trip!
After that date the ticket price goes up to £12 for adults and £8 for children. So book early and save money.
- Please note that these special Moonraking Story Train tickets are only available by calling the number above and not from railway ticket offices.
The Moonraking Lantern Finale
- At Carr Lane in the centre of Slaithwaite
Saturday 21 Feb. starting at 6pm. FREE.
The BIG event of the Festival. Come to the centre of Slaithwaite for a unique and memorable evening of spectacular entertainment.
From 6pm Carr Lane will be closed to traffic as people of all ages from across the valley start to arrive with their specially made lanterns ready to start the procession around the village. This year the theme of the Festival is ‘Lunar Landings’, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first person to step onto the surface of the Moon, so watch out for the many different designs.
The centre of Slaithwaite will come alive with street music and entertainers and many shops and business will be staying open throughout the evening.
At 6.30pm the Moon will be raked from the canal and carried through the crowd to head the procession. This year the procession will move off from Carr Lane, across the mini
roundabout at the junction with Britannia Road and down to the canal side. After climbing Bank Gate, making its way along Hill Top and down through Crimble the
procession will return to Carr Lane for the spectacular finale and fireworks – a fitting Finale to a wonderful week of lanterns and legends. - But the entertainment is not over - why not call in to one of the many pubs in the village. Venues
such as The Wharfside Inn and The Little Bridge will have live bands to
entertain you through the evening. Watch out for details.
- Happy Moonraking!
