TWO ILKLEY women are helping to organise a new festival celebrating the finest things from Yorkshire this summer.

Supporting small businesses, artists, entrepreneurs and musicians, the event has been created to bring talented people together, providing a weekend of alfresco entertainment, dining and fun.

The Yorkshire Festival will take place in Pateley Bridge on Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26.

Primarily set up to be a food and drink festival with home grown and international foods, all from local traders, the event is already growing into an activity packed day for the entire family.

Children will enjoy the inflatable village, fun fair, outdoor education and forestry, mini farm and mini bake-off lessons. For adults there are cocktail making masterclasses and live cooking demonstrations as well as health and wellbeing workshops, yoga and treatments, and performers on stage.

The event is organised by Lily and Lister Events headed by Tessa Kenyon with over 15 years event management experience, Marketing Manager Kate Thompson and Anna Lister - all born and bred in God's Own Country. Kate and Anna are both from Ilkley.

Anna said:“With so many amazing producers, food, drink and artists from Yorkshire we wanted to create an event celebrating the best of what Yorkshire has to offer and in exceptional countryside in the heart of Yorkshire. All of our traders are local from the fairground rides to the internationally inspired street food. It’s a great opportunity to come and support local businesses whilst having an amazing day out”.

Kate said:“Support local this summer and come and discover the best of Yorkshire.”

Lily and Lister Events was established during the pandemic to help encourage outdoor events, as at the time with all the social distancing restrictions these were the only events that could go ahead.

During this time, Anna was researching Yorkshire locations and came across Nidderdale Showground. She felt that the picturesque setting surrounded by campsites was the perfect location for the event. And she said the showground owners were in full support of a Yorkshire focussed food and drink festival coming to Nidderdale.

She said: "We are already planning dates for the show next year and really want to make the Yorkshire Feastival a family event that people will want to come back to year on year.”

Tickets are available from www.yorkshirefeastival.couk at an early bird rate of £5.50 for adults and £12.95 for a family ticket (two adults and two children).