Visitors enjoyed a full day of music and family friendly entertainment on Saturday (July 25) at Tiddenfoot Waterside Park – with craft demonstrations including corn dollies, broom making, spoon making and wood carving, along with a host of other crafters and makers offering products ranging from art to wool to croche
There was also entertainment from Brixton Barn Dance, Layla Joyce, Stampede, and The Rosewoods, as well as Luisa and Jeff, Abbie Gathard, Rising Voices and Open Voices. The Rocci Tree also provided wellness sessions throughout the day.
Town mayor, councillor Kevin Pughe, said: “Linslade Canal Festival is an enduringly popular event with all ages and it’s wonderful to see so many people enjoying the beautiful location and all the activities and entertainment on offer”.
Along the canal tow-path, visitors could watch displays of working, trade, and pleasure boats, while at the lakeside, they could admire a vintage fire engine.
For the younger visitors, there were regular storytelling sessions, crafting provided by Happydashery, and funfair rides. There were also plenty of food and refreshment stalls.
Leighton-Linslade town councillor and former mayor, David Bligh, said: "It's a fantastic community event that is really well organised by Leighton-Linslade Town Council. The stallholders all said they were amazed at how many people from out of town were there, with many visiting from Luton or Aylesbury.
"The music was particularly good this year. It just seemed to have a nice mix, some folk, some western; I think it had a wider appeal. There were certainly a lot of people sitting on the benches joining in and kids at the front dancing.
"The bar stall queue moved very quickly. You didn't have to wait long. It was very efficient.
"The traders said that they seemed to be doing well from a business point of view. It was busy and people seemed to be having a great time.
"Overall, I would say it was a great success."
The town council – which described the day as a “vibrant” event with a “family-friendly atmosphere” wished to extend its “sincere thanks to all who contributed”, in particular: The Canal and River Trust, Friends of Tiddenfoot Waterside Park, The Greensand Trust, The Rotary Club of Leighton-Linslade and Central Bedfordshire Council.
