Reindeer pull in crowds in Beverley >video
Rudolph and his friends made a welcome return to Beverley's Festival Of Christmas.
Santa had to swap his reindeer for Shetland ponies last year because of bluetongue disease restrictions.
But at the 14th annual festival they were back pulling Father Christmas through the streets of the market town.
More than 40,000 people turned out for the festival as Beverley was transformed into a bustle of music and festivity.
Festival founder and chairman John Bird said: "It is fantastic to see the reindeer back. You can see the delight on the children's faces when they go past.
"The festival once again has been unbelievable. I think by 10.30am we had already broken previous records.
"It has something for everyone. The children love Santa and the adults can browse the stalls and be entertained by the activities."
Visitors were taken back almost 400 years for an English Civil War re-enactment by the Sealed Knot Society.
Other attractions included dozens of vintage cars lining North Bar for a rally by the Yorkshire Thoroughbred Car Club.
Polly Cutting and her husband Bob, of Catton Road, Beverley, brought their children Jack, six, and three-year-old Charlie to the event.
She said: "The children absolutely love it and they were so excited to see Father Christmas and his reindeer."
13 Comments
View all
by Pob, Bev
Wednesday, December 17 2008, 4:29PM
“What Beverley needs is a few pubs in and around the town centre where you could possibly use their toilets. Oh hang on.......”
by Freeborn Andy, Bradford
Tuesday, December 16 2008, 5:37PM
“I was there with the Sealed Knot, having driven from Bradford. Arrived 9:30am - long stay car park near fire station was mostly empty. Free parking. Left at about 3pm - car park still mostly empty.
Biggest problem with Beverley - not enough public toilets! To make it worse, the only one we could find was out of order later on! And that on a big day for the town.”
by Rolf, Beverley
Tuesday, December 16 2008, 3:58PM
“Is it just me or does the guy in black following Santa look like the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?”
by Rolf, Beverley
Tuesday, December 16 2008, 10:07AM
“Annoyed Corsa Driver, Kingswood.
Consider yourselve lucky if your car had been left in the centre when the food festival was on you would have been collecting it from Woodmansey and paying about £145. Last time several were lifted out of town.”
by Annoyed Corsa Driver, Kingswood
Tuesday, December 16 2008, 3:12AM
“Well no one told me when i left my car overnite because of a late session to return to it the next day surrounded by thousands of people and the moaning OAP's of beverley were not happy because i was driving through the town centre, i couldnt beleive it. How am i suppose to know???!”
by Sharon, HULL
Monday, December 15 2008, 3:42PM
“Just because Claire obviously lives in Beverley she walked to the event.. lucky her...it was not just put on for Beverley residents though was it Claire?
I did not know about the event until I got there.... I was going shopping...
I never saw anywhere that said Park and ride though.”
by Sue, Beverley
Monday, December 15 2008, 2:07PM
“What a fantastic day! Yes, it was packed, simply because it was a roaring success. Please, please, please may we have more days like this in Beverley! If you want to rebuild community you need to invest in the people with occasions like this. Well done to all those volunteer organisers, you made Beverley come alive!”
by Rolf, Beverley
Monday, December 15 2008, 11:29AM
“Claire, good for you, you had a good time so tough for anyone who didn't get there before 2pm and you probably didn't drive there so another bonus for lucky you!”
by Claire, Beverley
Monday, December 15 2008, 9:35AM
“Why are there always moaners? Parking is difficult in Beverley at the best of times - do you expect the town to build a new carpark just for this? There was a park and ride from the racecourse.
And for the reindeer - well they were there all day, the programme on said till 2.30pm so for people so keen to give their children a treat they cut it a bit fine! Sometimes livestock get tired and restless - get up early and make sure you see all you want to.
We had a fantastic day - walked in to town, saw Santa, enjoyed the nativity scene and carols and wandered home via the stalls.”
by Sarah, Hull
Monday, December 15 2008, 9:09AM
“'The children love Santa'
Well, can I say it's not only the children who love Santa - is it Sis?? ha ha ha
We had a fun time and the youngest is aged 39!!!!”