NEW attractions and old favourites will ensure there’s much to see and do when Barnard Castle turns back the clock to the 1940s for a fourth time this weekend.
Organised by the town council, the three-day event begins on Friday, June 21, with the Teesdale Aviation Day service, which takes place at 11am in the Memorial Garden, Galgate. The service will be led by Revd Canon Alec Harding.
In the evening, harmony singers The Seatones will entertain at The Hub, Shaw Bank. Tickets are £10 and food will be available.
A flag raising ceremony at 10.30am on Scar Top will signal the start of the weekend’s activities.
Throughout both Saturday and Sunday a Battle of Britain operations room will be set up in Woodleigh, re-enactment groups and displays will staged on Scar Top and there will be vintage vehicles.
There will be live music on the entertainment area throughout both days. In addition to regular visitors Colin Bourdiec, performing favourites by George Formby, and the ‘Taint What You Do duo, a new face this year will be Hatty Bee.
The young vintage singer, from Hartlepool, took part in last year’s NHS celebrations at the Richardson Hospital and was asked to join the line-up for the 1940s weekend.
Also new will be a display of flowers by Cotherstone-based Pinks Flower Farm, which will adorn an old Land Rover parked outside the Post Office at the bottom of Galgate.
Organisers hope this will act as a magnet to bring visitors to the event.
Elsewhere in town, a vintage fair will be held in St Mary’s Parish Hall, Newgate, from 10am to 4pm on the Saturday and noon to 4pm on Sunday.
In St Mary’s Parish Church there will be a display dedicated to Weddings of Yesteryear on show throughout the weekend.
On Saturday night, there is a 1940s dance at The Witham from 7.30pm with music from Damaris Jean and Ragtime Rewind. Tickets are £15.
On Sunday, children from Green Lane and Montalbo primary schools will take the roles of evacuees, having a go at some old fashioned games and leading a singalong at Scar Top at 1pm.
In addition to the displays, there will be an open mic session on the performance area, while a mystery coach tour will depart from outside the Methodist Church at 1pm. Anyone wishing to join the tour should give their name to the town council office.
The flag will be lowered at 4pm – but that’s not quite the end of the entertainment.
A 1940s themed concert featuring Barnard Castle Band and the St Mary’s Community Choir will be staged at St Mary’s Parish Church at 7pm. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
A programme has been produced by the town council and is widely available, including from the Mercury shop and information is available online at www. barnardcastle1940s.uk.
Alternatively, contact the town council on 01833 690970.
