Mystery in the Dales?  | | Alice Ketyl, Clapham's own witch: by Barbara Yates |
On the weekend of May 8 and 9, something very strange will happen to the village of Clapham. For two days, people in this normally sedate Dales village, will be visited by boggarts, elves, fairies and all manner of magical folk. Visitations explained No, it's not the fulfilling of any ancient curse, it's the weekend of Clapham's Festival of Magic, Myths and Legends. As part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park's 50th anniversary celebrations, the festival will show the rich, unique cultural heritage of the Dales. During the festival, local residents and businesses will take part in a competition to decorate their homes, gardens and shop fronts. When they've finished hanging home made boggarts, wood spirits, elves and fairies, Clapham will be transformed into an enchanted village. Days of wonder Organisers are expecting several thousand people to attend the festival. Visitors are being encouraged to get into the spirit of things by arriving in costume. There'll be loads to see and do:street theatre, storytelling, circus acts, puppetry, craft and musical workshops, birds of prey displays and live music of all varieties, to name but a few! Some light relief  | | To light up the festival evenings |
One of the highlights of the festival will be a lantern walk on Saturday night. Visitors will join a creep through haunted woods to see trolls, white lions, knights in armour, a Viking ship and an amazing burning giant. The main festival site will be dominated by two towering 30-foot high paintings by the festival's artistic coordinator Peter Huby. Visitors will also be able to marvel at a 12-foot high fairytale castle lantern. It's been made by the Clapham community in conjunction with visual artists from Pioneer Projects in Bentham. Major event The Clapham festival of magic myths and legends is the result of months of hard work from local people and groups from around North Yorkshire and further afield. The event is one of the highlights of the National Park's 50th anniversary celebrations. It's also the biggest event the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has ever been involved in organising. World premier The magic, myths and legends festival also hosts the world premiere of a huge inflatable structure called a luminarium. Festival information The festival will open at 11am each day. Admission will be £2.50 per adult and free for children. Admission to the luminarium is expected to cost between £2.50 and £3.50 with family tickets available. Money raised during the festival will go to local community projects and charities. Want to help? Local residents or businesses that would like to be involved in the festival are invited to contact the Project Co-ordinator, Peter Huby, on 01729 840087. | 
