West Hallam - Dancing In The Street
w/e 17 July 2011
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
The West Hallam Well Dressings were on display for
all of last week but these images were all captured during the
afternoon of the opening day of the festival on Saturday 9th
July.
  A short Service of Thanksgiving for God's
gift of water opened the proceedings in School Square where the
singing of hymns was accompanied by the Newbold Brass Band. The
Vicar of West Hallam then visited each of the wells(examples
left and right) around the village centre to bless them. The
well dressings had been prepared by various groups who had each
nominated a different charity to which donations that were collected
in boxes adjacent to their handiwork would be given.
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  The large well dressing outside
the Village Hall featured Rolf Harris but I wonder how many times
as the display was put together, Rolf's catch phrase "Can you tell what it is yet?" was asked!
Although thanks had been given for water, a short shower sent
many people scuttling for shelter in the Arts Market (left) behind
the Village Hall just as a Hurricane Fighter Plane (right) staged
a flypast.
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The sun soon came out again though and the back of the Punch
Bowl pub became a popular place where entertainment was provided
by the John Gill Band.
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It was also behind the Punch Bowl that a barbecue was doing good
business. Note the carefully tended sausages being cooked on
an innovative "stove".
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The roads through the village centre had been closed for the
afternoon and opposite the Dales car park in the main street,
Belly Dancers were just one of the groups entertaining the crowds
and adding to the carnival atmosphere.
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Although there was a Kung Fu demonstration and also a magician
on hand, the main theme of the afternoon was music and dance
and at the entrance to School Square several groups performed.
This young girl, part of the Dance Doctors, showed great confidence
as she sang to an appreciative audience.
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The Dance
Doctors continued the entertainment with another song and
dance number from a musical.
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In complete contrast the next group, the Nutbrook International Folk Dancing Group
clad in traditional dress, performed a variety of mainly Eastern
European dances.
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And the dancing in the street continued with the A & BD Group
Dancers from nearby Stanley. again the group performed a number
of routines and as with all the other groups, their display was
greeted with enthusiastic applause by the assembled visitors
to the Well Dressing Festival.
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The entertainment on Saturday afternoon somewhat overshadowed
the well dressings but the dressings were in place for all of
the following week for closer inspection and the Scarecrow Trail
which is fast becoming a traditional addition to the celebrations
with figures like this "Tall Guy" at all corners of
the Parish could also be found throughout the following week.
Well Dressing events in Derbyshire started back in the mists
of time as simple acts of thanksgiving and although the West
Hallam event is relatively new on the scene, it has now been
held for over thirty years and has become a regular in the Well
Dressing calendar with more and more visitors each year. Both
local and national charities from the hard work put in by the
organisers.
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