First ever Ramsbottom Festival proves to be a huge success

The festival, organised by Ramsbottom Rotary, ran from Friday night until Sunday, and saw more than 50 stalls set up across the town including in Nuttall Park, at Ramsbottom Civic Hall and on Silver Street, Square Street and Smithy Street.

Everything from a funfair to axe throwing from Axes to Ashes, owl petting from MMB Falconry and many food and drinks stalls were on offer as well as face painting and craft stalls.

Funfair (Image: NQ)

Ukulele performer Ben Read was at the festival on Sunday offering lessons as well as performing.

He said: “I’ve been doing what I do for three years, and I invite people to come along and show them the basics.

“It’s really good fun, and I’m really enjoying it.”

He currently holds classes at Greenmount Old School from 10.15am to 11.45am on Mondays, Ramsbottom Library from 10.30am to 12pm and The Den from 5.30pm to 7pm on Tuesdays and at Wyldes in Bury from 7.30pm to 9pm on Thursdays.

Ben Read (Image: NQ)

Leo Tse, who runs Oh Mei Dumpling and used to own China Cottage in Ramsbottom, was at the event too.

He said: “We always love coming back to Ramsbottom to see regulars. It looks like it’s going to be a nice day for us.”

Leo Tse (Image: NQ)

On Sunday, classic cars lined Railway Street and the White Rose Yorkshire Steampunks were seen walking around in their weird and wonderful outfits.

Local band Shoehorn wowed audiences in the park on Saturday afternoon and Ramsbottom Community Choir and Besses Boys Band took to the bandstand on Sunday to entertain visitors.

Jim Hurst (R) and rotary volunteers (Image: NQ)

At the Bury Hospice stall, community fundraiser Rachel Krafft said: “It’s amazing, the amount of different people we’re meeting is fabulous.

“All the reaction to the festival on social media is great too.

“It’s perfect weather and everyone who has come past has said how much they’re enjoying it.”

One of the main reasons that Ramsbottom Rotary wanted to bring the festival to the town was due to it feeling the effects of the pandemic and that businesses were closing down.

They wanted to bring more footfall to Ramsbottom and see it thriving again.

Solar powered lemonade stall (Image: NQ)

Rotary vice president and main organiser of the festival, Jim Hurst said: “Friends of Nuttall Park have supported us so much.

“The rotary club have done events before but nothing as big as this, we’ve never done food and drink stalls before.

“But I knew that if we put something on that include everything for everyone, we would get good footfall. The place is full and it’s just fantastic.”