Ilkeston - It's All Happening
w/e 29 June 2014
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
  Usually
at this time of year there's an event in Victoria Park called
the Midsummer Happening but it appears to have been left off
the calendar this time. There will be an event in the park though
in July which will be featuring local bands and that's called
Summer Sounds In The Park. The absence of the Summer Happening
though doesn't mean that it's not all been happening in Ilkeston
this weekend. There were at least three events and below are
a few images from each of them.
On Saturday afternoon the Friends of Stanton Road Cemetery held
their Summer Fayre with music provided by the Derby Serenaders.
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A selection of stalls were set out along the main path between
the old headstones.
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At the far end of the cemetery, the Ilkeston Giant was keeping
a close eye on proceedings and will continue to maintain his
stance there when everyone else has left.
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Meanwhile at the Erewash Museum another regular event, Swing
Back to the Forties, was being staged with a selection of old
vehicles just inside the entrance.
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In the grounds of the museum Churchill was in animated conversation
with Johnny Victory. As I passed Churchill, staying in character,
was heard to comment that it just wasn't good enough, people
enjoying themselves whilst there was a war on.
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His comment had no bearing on Johnny Victory who went on to entertain
everyone with a selection of songs from the decade, many of them
made famous during the war years. Saturday of course was also
Armed Forces Day.
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There was more entertainment in the yard between the main museum
building and the Hayloft. Seen here from an upstairs window in
the museum, dancers in period costume from the Festival Swing
Dance Society were demonstrating popular dances of the decade
including the Jitterbug and the Stroll.
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There were many people at the museum on Saturday in costume including
several in various uniforms common in the 1940s but on Sunday
I spotted uniforms of a more futuristic type on the Market Place.
I don't know whether aliens had landed somewhere but the Stormtroopers
were out in force.
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The costumed trio were patrolling the town centre which was hosting
a Heritage and Classic Vehicle Show. People had turned out in
force again to enjoy the event and were inspecting vehicles of
all ages.
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Many people were also taking photos and will have come away with
shots very similar to the ones above of the buses, lorries, trucks,
motor bikes, old cars, new cars, classic cars and even the remarkable
motor bike called Batpod (above right) which were all on display.
For a donation of £2.00 to help Cancer Research anyone
could become a superhero and sit on the Batpod.
Few if any though, apart from yours truly, will have come away
with a shot similar to this, taken from the top of St Mary's
Church tower as the Show was still setting up and before the
crowds arrived. So it may not have been the Midsummer Happening
but with the three events at the Stanton Road Cemetery, the Erewash
Museum and in the town centre it's been something of a Giant,
Swinging Classic weekend or more simply - it's all been happening
in Ilkeston.
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