Pontefract Liquorice Festival

This piece of spam turned up on my LJ, of all places!

Since this blog hasn't been targeted, nor links to the LJ by default (or vice versa), all I can say is that the spammer has done its homework, and that these things are getting scarily good at it!

If there was a name attached to the comment, I might even think I was dealing with a real person.

Anyway, the content is relevant to this blog (rather than my LJ, which is about writing and ranting and ranting about writing, and which I only signed up to in order to talk to the LJ community without having to be anonymous). So here goes:

Hi,
I noticed you talked about last year's liquorice festival and the circumstances as to why you weren't able to go. I don't know if you're still living in the area but this year's is going to be bigger than ever. It's a nine day treat this time with a week-long music festival. I've put the agenda below and hoped you'd be able to flag it up to your regular readers as a great event.
Deb

AGENDA 2007

Saturday 7 July
Castle in Action
11am-5pm Pontefract Castle
A heritage day organised by the Pontefract Heritage Group including children’s battles, jousting, falconry displays and medieval stalls. There will be themed street entertainment, re-enactments, music and food, living history camps, demonstrations, historic art and craft workshops.
Free

Sunday 8 July
11am to 5pm - departing Pontefract castle
NEW. Discovery Trails and Tours - walks, talks and tours in Pontefract.
Organised by the Trust to include talks about Pontefract liquorice and historical and heritage aspects of the town as well as walks through the town, the old liquorice fields and the Hermitage. Take a guided tour of the castle grounds and underground magazine or an open top bus to a local liquorice farm to hear one of local liquorice expert Tom Dixon’s informative and entertaining liquorice talks. Enjoy a guided walk around the town to discover past Pontefract people or take in a tour of 13th century architecture, the relief of the battle of Trafalgar in the Georgian Town hall and climb a double helix staircase.

The four trails are open to everyone but priority will be given to people with tickets. Tickets can be bought for £2 from the Trust’s office at 19 Southgate (just behind Ropergate), Pontefract, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays between 9.30am-2.30pm.

Sunday also heralds the start of the music festival.

Sunday 8 July
All day Battle of the Bands
Local bands compete for a spot on the Liquorice Festival main stage Sunday 15 July.

Sunday 8 to Friday 13 July
Music Alive
Various venues around Pontefract (evenings)
Live music in a variety of venues featuring top quality professional musicians crossing a range of popular music genres from rock, blues, folk, A Night at the Musicals to Big Band Dance Night, kicking off with the final heat of a battle of the bands featuring Pontefract’s best emerging young talent. Some events are free, others are ticketed – various prices - on the door.

Saturday 14 July

Enchanted Garden
11am-5pm at Valley Gardens
Created in the 1950’s, Valley Gardens was landscaped from the gardens of a Victorian Mill and provides a picturesque venue for a day of Victorian themed entertainment with market, craft and food stalls, traditional games, street entertainment and live music.
Free

Theatre in the Park - Conference of the Birds
4.30pm at Valley Gardens
A fun, family street theatre production by Faceless Street and Community Arts with energetic masks and amazing puppets.
Bring a picnic and a cushion. £2 each or family ticket (two adults, two children) £6 available from the Pontefract Liquorice Trust stall on the day or phone 01977 790593/629874

Sunday 15 July
National Liquorice Day
11am-5pm Pontefract town centre
The traditional Liquorice Day market with the excellent street entertainment that has become synonymous with the festival.
Opening in front of the Town Hall with a spectacular themed parade and continuing with the best of live music, specialist foods, street acts, community performances, exhibitions, activity and fun zones, art and craft workshops. All this sits alongside a bustling art, craft and liquorice produce market which includes liquorice sweets of all varieties as well as liquorice beer, cheese, bread, sausages, bacon, pies and herbal remedies.
Free. Free Park and Ride from Pontefract Park