Puffins bring festival fun
The Bank Holiday weekend provided another display of puffin fun as the town hosted its seventh Puffin Festival.
Despite the changeable weather, the event drew hundreds of visitors over the weekend. Talks and events at the Dovecote Centre proved very popular; 198 people attended those, and all said how interesting they were. A few local couples attended almost every one.
“Great fun was had at the willow weaving with Kate Wilson, where people made their own bird feeders and took them home. As did the dry point printing with those who wanted to participate. The Cloudberries was a packed house on Saturday evening and were fab. And they could have stayed singing at the audience’s request until the early hours,” said Events Committee member Kate Morrison.
RSPB warden Paul Morrison’s puffin drop-in was very well attended, as were all the crafts events, and the baby lobster release on the Saturday attracted around 50 adults and children. The dog show on Sunday was once again another success, despite the strong winds across the Braid.
The entertainment in the Town Square was excellent; the Dansformation young dancers performed a wonderful maypole dance and a sword dance, to much applause. Everyone loved Cramlington Carribbean Steel Band and Tenth Avenue Band who got the crowd dancing.
Puffin friends at the festival
And on Monday the lineup featured a series of talented local singers and dancers, some well-known like local singer-songwriter Brian English, and the Tribe Zuza tribal dancers, others who were new to Amble, like singers Jodie Elliott and Abbie Wilson.
Of course the festival wouldn’t be Amble Puffin Festival without Tommy Noddy the giant puffin who made many new friends over the weekend.
Events Committee chair Bartle Rippon said, “On behalf of the committee I’d like to thank everyone who visited the festival, to all those who took part, and to all the volunteers and the local businesses who gave their time. We’ve had some lovely comments, but we’re always looking for ideas for next year. We hope everyone had as much fun at the festival as we did.”
Anna Williams
