March 2023
Our Top 10 Easter Events
1. Hebden Bridge Duck Race has to be our number 1 Easter event! It’s great fun and a terrific charity fund raiser. Hebden Bridge Duck Race
Hebden’s famous Easter Duck Race is a hugely popular event and you can pre-buy a duck to support the event. The real purpose of the event is to raise money to help others. All profits go to the Rotary Club of Hebden Bridge Trust Fund (registered charity number 513898) which gives grants to local, national and international good causes.
2. Hebden Bridge has a fantastic venue The Trades Club that entertains with a wide variety of events. Get your tickets for an evening of April Fool’s day mischief at the Trades Club. The Calderdale Fantasy Orchestra and Choir with special guests Sistajam, Hot Club of Halifax will bring their musical mayhem to the Trades Club for one special night, culminating with a Bohemian Rhapsody reunion ‘sing-along’. Make sure you pre-book your tickets and we recommend you get the bus down from Blackshawhead. More info Calderdale Fantasy Orchestra
3. On 3-4th April visit the historical home of Gentleman Jack’s Anne Lister Shibden Hall and Park will be open (Park open 24/7, but some facilities in the park, such as the café, railway, boating lake, have restricted hours). Tickets must be booked ahead for Shibden Hall.
Heptonstall Pace Egg
4. Heptonstall just down the road from us is the home of the Easter event The Pace Egg performance on Good Friday 7th April.
Heptonstall Pace Egg Play is a traditional Mumming Play performed in Heptonstall’s Weavers Square on Good Fridays, attracting hundreds of visitors to the village. The Pace Egg play is not unique to Heptonstall but it is one of only a few still performed today. In the play St George takes on contenders such as Bold Slasher, the Black Prince of Paradine and Hector. The costumes, in particular the strange headgear comprising a towering edifice garlanded with flowers, peculiar to the Calder Valley; are as much a part of the fun as the action. Violent sword fights predominate but, as ever, good triumphs over evil. We recommend you get the bus from Blackshawhead as parking in the village is very restricted.
More info Visit Calderdale Events
5. Further afield is the Royal Armouries in Leeds Well you don’t usually think of Yorkshire and jousting together but go to the Medieval Easter at the Royal Armouries at Leeds and experience a full day of activities. We recommend you go on the train and it’s not a dog friendly activity so day care could be essential. A lot of the day is free of charge but you need tickets for the jousting event check out their site Royal Armouries Leeds
Activities:
Have-a-go Archery – can you hit the gold?
Hands on History – your chance to handle weapons from our replica collection
Combat demonstrations:
Medieval poll axe combat – See the knights demonstrate the challenges of using these formidable medieval staff weapons.
Two-handed sword fighting – Enjoy live demonstrations of the skills needed to wield these enormous swords.
Armoured longsword – Watch their expert men-at-arms battle in full armour with these mighty weapons.
International Jousting Tournament / Friday 7th – Monday 10th April
If you love knights in shining armour and magnificent horses then they’ve got an Easter bank holiday treat for you. See three teams of world-class jousters battle it out for honour and trophies. Book your tickets for the Tournament on Eventbrite.
6. Over the border in Lancashire nearby Burnley’s historic Towneley Hall has a fantastic free downloadable bird maker you could do this at Rough Top and use some of our garden and field birds for inspiration. Towneley Hall Birds download
7. Burnley’s panopticon The Singing Ringing Tree is always worth a walk it has a nearby car park so a short walk or you can extend it and get in a longer walk with the dogs. The ‘Singing Ringing Tree’, is a unique musical sculpture which overlooks Burnley from its position high above the town on Crown Point. Constructed from pipes of galvanised steel stacked in layers, this Panopticon takes the form of a tree bending to the winds and harnesses the energy of those winds to produce a low, tuneful song. In June 2007, Singing Ringing Tree was named winner of a National Award for architectural excellence by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
8. HAPPA is our local horse and pony rescue centre and well worth a visit any day. It is dog friendly and has a great café on site. Over Easter they are running dog agility Yappy Easter, an Easter trail and a café Easter Afternoon Tea – this will sell out quickly so make sure you book early HAPPA
9. East Riddlesden Hall at Keighley, is a fantastic National Trust property that’s great to visit at any time of year. It has activities on over the Easter break from barrow racing to building a giant nest: East Riddlesden Hall
10. Whistlestop Easter Wonderland at Whistlestop Valley, at Huddersfield, will tick everyone’s box with steam trains and bunnies what more could you ask for? It looks like an action packed day of activities no matter what age you are but especially aimed at the children of course! Make sure you book early for this one Whistlestop Valley
These are our top 10 Easter events but do let me know if you come across something that we should add to our list.
Until next time
Best wishes
Sandra
