A fox shaped lantern against a black sky

Town lit up with Lantern Parade

Knutsford Lantern Parade returned for the first time since 2018 last Sunday, with a spectacular procession of lights in the town centre.

The biennial parade took place on Sunday 5th December, kicking off at 5pm on King Street. Scores of local people lined the streets to enjoy the parade which was led by City of Chester Brass Band and featured Travelling Light Circus LED performance troupe.

Local families had created handmade lanterns at free workshops provided by the Town Council in November and processed along the streets with their moon and stars themed lanterns, joining others in the community who had made lanterns and alongside large feature lanterns made by Handmade Parade. The parade was kindly supported by volunteers from Knutsford Hosts.

Alex Brown, Events Officer at Knutsford Town Council, said: “It was wonderful seeing so many people come along to enjoy the Lantern Parade and Crib Service on Sunday. The lanterns looked beautiful under the Christmas lights and the Crib Service was a wonderful start to the festive season.”

The Town Mayor’s Community Crib Service followed outside the Lost and Found, where the Mayor of Knutsford, Cllr Stewart Gardiner, was joined by Knutsford clergy to bless the town crib and welcome the festive season to Knutsford.

Children from St Vincent’s Primary School led in the singing of Christmas carols accompanied by City of Chester Brass Band. After the service the Knutsford Catenians warmed the community with mince pies and mulled wine.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner, Mayor of Knutsford, said: “It was lovely to see such a great turnout for the Lantern Parade and Crib Service on Sunday. Thanks to all those who helped make it such a lovely event. Particular thanks go to the children of St Vincent’s School for their beautiful singing.”

The Town Mayor adds the letters to the screening notice at the cinema

Charity Screening of Bridget Jones’s Diary

The Mayor of Knutsford is inviting you to join him for special screening of the 2001 ‘hilarious blockbuster’ Bridget Jones’s Diary hosted by The Curzon.

The evening will help raise funds for his chosen charities, the Knutsford branches of the Royal British Legion and St Vincent de Paul Society and takes place from 6pm on Wednesday 8th December.

“This iconic film has something for everyone; laughter and tears with a sprinkling of seasonal festiveness” said Town Mayor, Cllr Stewart Gardiner.

 “Even if you’ve seen it before its worth another viewing and on this occasion you can enjoy the film after a glass of wine and help me raise money for my chosen local charities, so bring your friends and enjoy a pre-Christmas a mid-week night out and in the name of a good cause”

Tickets are £15 which includes a glass of wine on arrival, popcorn and one entry into the raffle where a selection of great prizes can be won. To secure your tickets contact Michelle Bate, Civic Events Officer on 01565 653929 or email michelle.bate@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk.

Any businesses wishing to make a prize donation for the raffle can contact Michelle on the details above.

A man on an inflatable dinosaur with some children

Pumpkin Path a Spooky Success

Knutsford Pumpkin Path has been hailed a spooky success after it returned for its 9th year on Saturday 30th October!

The event returned to celebrate Halloween in Knutsford across King Street, Minshull Street and Regent Street. The night saw families and friends of all ages convene, many in elaborate and amazing costumes for a fun, safe and friendly Halloween festivity. At what has now become tradition visitors have to hunt out 11 special pumpkins carved with letters spelling ‘Pumpkin Path’ which were dotted along King Street and the surrounding roads. In addition to the eleven ‘hosts’ many shops and businesses stayed open late with truly spooktacular window displays and costumes to join in the fun.

Crowds were entertained with singing by Knutsford Beats  and dance performances from Fuschia School of Dance. Halloween themed character actors and exciting experiences in Wallwood were hosted by moviESCAPE escape rooms based in Stockport.

The event was supported by a range of businesses, organisations and voluntary groups including Mr Simms, Knutsford Hosts and Knutsford Lions. The event was also kindly supported by the Mere Day Nursery and Cheshire House Bar and Grill who sponsored the event and helped to make it possible.

Visitors to the path were asked to choose their favourite shop window and the winners were presented with their certificates the following week by the Mayor of Knutsford Cllr Stewart Malloy. The winner was Mr Simms and the three runners up with Highly Commended prizes were Gareth West, Giovannis and D13 Irish Bar. The competition was stiff but all three had stunning spooky displays.

Alex Brown, Events Officer at Knutsford Town Council, said: “We were thrilled to see so many happy faces at the weekend enjoying our Pumpkin Path. It was so exciting to bring this event back in full this year to celebrate Halloween in true Knutsford style. The costumes were fantastic as always and the atmosphere of the event was brilliant. Huge thanks to our amazing local businesses who continue to get stuck in with our events and make the town so vibrant and full of life. Here’s to next year!”

A man holds a sign next to a woman holding a sign in front of a poster for the pumpkin path

Pumpkin Path is Coming

Pumpkins are ripening, carving knives are being sharpened, witches are preparing their brooms for flight… Knutsford’s spooktacular Halloween event is just one month away.

The ninth Knutsford Pumpkin Path returns to the town centre on Saturday 30th October from 4pm to 7pm. Due to Halloween falling on a Sunday, the event has been brought forward a day to the Saturday evening.

Young Knutsfordians are being invited into the town centre to hunt out the eleven carved pumpkins spelling out ‘Pumpkin Path’ whilst enjoying live entertainment, some great photo opportunities and spooky fun in Knutsford Market Hall and Wallwood.

We’re really looking forward to bringing back this popular event after the stripped back version in 2020” said Alex Brown, Events Officer at Knutsford Town Council. “There’s no need to book in advance, just enter the date in your diaries and come along to enjoy the fun”

The Pumpkin Path is organised by Knutsford Town Council and this year is sponsored by Cheshire House Bar and Grill, The Mere Village Nursery and moviESCAPE.

Wallwood will once again be transformed into a spooky space thanks to the team at Stockport’s moviESCAPE. moviESCAPE offers movie quality escape room experiences for all the family in an atmospheric Victorian mill and their family friendly Merlin’s Magic Academy escape room is inspired by the world of the by wizard.

To enable the Pumpkin Path to take place safely, road closures will be in place along King Street (from the junction with Church Walk to the junction with Drury Lane) and Minshull Street. Affected residents will receive detail of the road closure by letter.

a lady shows another a picture whilst three ladies look at a book on a table inside a nice interior shop in Knutsford

Knutsford at Home hailed a hit

Knutsford’s interior and design shops hosted their first interior shopping experience on Saturday 18th September.

The event was a collaboration of the growing number of home and interior shops and businesses in Knutsford town centre and offered shoppers inspiration, advice, and ideas as we move into the autumn and winter seasons.

The day’s programme was full of interesting talks, presentations, one-off offers and in some cases fizz and goody bags. 

The businesses who took part were Arthur Lee, Deliveroot, Design Equals, Detaljer, Holly Johnson Antiques, Not a Box, Oka, Serenity Designs, Sofas and Stuff, Suzy Watson Designs, and Terzetto.

Sandra Curties, Knutsford Town Council’s Town Centre and Marketing Manager, said “We and the shops involved were really pleased how the first event went.  The sun shone on the day, Knutsford Town Mayor Stewart Gardiner kindly visited every shop and there was a lovely buzz around the town.  We are evaluating feedback from the day and are possibly looking at a spring event incorporating gardens too so watch this space!”

Matthew Cook of Terzetto Stone said, “Even though this was the first Knutsford at Home Event, it was very beneficial for everyone involved. The individuals who attended Terzetto’s ‘Tile Trends and You’ presentation seemed to get a lot from the talk and were very interactive throughout. Being a retailer in the world of interior design, it’s a pleasure to discuss material that helps homeowners get the most out of their homes and make help to make their ideas and dreams a reality. I look forward to taking part in the next Knutsford at Home Event.”

Helen Dufton of Arthur Lee, said, “We gave away about 60 goody bags from Farrow and Ball and Little Greene to customers making purchases on the day and spoke to lots of people that had not visited us before which was great”.

Town Ranger Bob Garner looks at his portrait

Knutsfordian III Exhibition

Twelve unique photographs went on display in Marshall House last week as part at the third Knutsfordian exhibition.

Knutsfordian, which was first held in 2013 and 2013, is a collection of photographic portraits by local photographer Paul Worpole which imaginatively celebrate local businesses and community leaders.

Portraits were literally kept under wraps until a special launch on Thursday 16th September which was the firs time the stars of the exhibition saw their portraits. The exhibition was then open to the public from Friday to Sunday thanks to the support of Knutsford Hosts.

The stars of the portraits were:

  • Chris Sheldon (Sheldons Dairy)
  • Julia Chard (Mr Simms)
  • Vincent Lazzarini (The Cheese Yard)
  • Claire Sawyer (We Are Knutsford)
  • Mark Radcliffe and Paul Langley (Knutsford Music Festival, LOL Cheshire and more)
  • Alison Cunliffe (The Real Fruit Creamery)
  • Caroline and Lee Williams (The Prescription Service)
  • Sal Thompson (Knutsford First Responders)
  • Helen Rogers (Knutsford Admin)
  • Bob Garner (Knutsford Town Ranger)
  • Joanne Ashton (The White Orchid)
  • Jane Smyth (Knutsford Market Hall)

The exhibition was supported by GGM Properties, owners of Marshall House, who provided the venue at no cost. GGM are currently working on plans to renovate the building and bring it back into use as a multi-purpose wedding, events and leisure venue opening in early 2023.

 “Once again, Paul has created an incredible collection of photographs reflecting the personality, business and interests of a great group of Knutsfordians” said Town Clerk, Adam Keppel-Green.

“We were really pleased to see the fantastic reception to the exhibition from the stars and visitors alike”.

To see photographs from the launch night head over to our Facebook Page.

A graphic with the text: Knutsford Art Trail, Saturday 10th to Sunday 11th July

Knutsford Art Trail under 2 weeks away

There are less than 2 weeks to go until incredible local artwork will be displayed throughout Knutsford in a brand-new Art Trail.

The new event will be held across 2 days on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th July from 11am to 4pm. The event includes pop-up shops hosted by local businesses, where members of the public can view and even purchase artwork from local artists and displays installed in empty units and local art galleries.

Displays will be viewable in 60 King Street, the former Belle Epoque building owned by Knutsford Town Council, exhibiting pieces from 9 different artists, ranging between paintings, illustrations, digital art, ceramics and sculptures.

Further displays will be viewable at Serenity Designs and Vermilion Gallery, both situated on Princess Street, as well as Chalk 33 on King Street displaying work from four artists.

A mixture of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, illustrations and digital art will be on display during the weekend, and works will be on sale in select locations.

For full details of the event you can visit the Facebook event for all event locations and to download a copy of the trail map to print at home or display on your phone. Physical copies will also be available from all of the pop-up and display locations. You can visit the Facebook event here https://fb.me/e/POcqbeMw and find out more information about all Town Council events by visiting www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

Two men looking at a stage wearing t-shirts which say "crew" on the back

Knutsford Music Festival 2021

Knutsford Music Festival is set to return this summer from 11th – 13th June 2021!

Festival organisers at Knutsford Town Council are working on plans to bring back the popular event this summer. The festival was launched in 2017 and enjoyed three successful years before the pandemic saw its cancellation in 2020.

Organisers are hopeful to run the festival this summer, bringing together an array of musicians in a three-day celebration of local talent. The event will feature festival staples including Mark Radcliffe presents Folk at the Theatre, which runs across the three days of the festival and features Folk Award nominees and winners, hosted by the popular BBC Radio 2 and 6 presenter.

The festival will also bring back Music on the Moor, the open-to-all Saturday afternoon session which features live acoustic music, entertainment and activities for families and new features to include food and drink vendors at the free four-hour event. Organisers are also exploring a second Sunday afternoon session to offer more free and safe fun for local people to enjoy during the festival.

Some fringe events may return to local businesses which offer free alternatives to headline events, where local bars, restaurants, pubs and more will host local musicians for some relaxed entertainment.

Any musicians wanting to apply to perform at this year’s festival can get in touch by contacting info@knutsfordmusicfestival.com with some information about you, links to videos and websites or social media pages.

Knutsford Town Council will continue to monitor the current lockdown situation and whether the event can go ahead and will provide updates to the public as plans proceed. For full updates and news you can visit www.knutsfordmusicfestival.com or follow the festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Two illustrated baubles with an image of a fox on

Christmas Market Postponed

Knutsford Christmas Market, the annual festive community market in Knutsford, has been postponed to Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th December.

The market was due to be held on 27th and 28th November but had to be moved due to the second lockdown. The market will run from 11am to 4pm each day.

The market forms part of Knutsford Town Council’s wider Christmas celebrations which normally includes the Santa Parade and Christmas Light Switch On, but unfortunately due to Covid-19 these other features of the festive weekend were cancelled, with the Lantern Parade postponed to 2021.

The Christmas Market will be held this year on the Princess Street and Silk Mill Street car parks, with a few stalls on Princess Street to bring the two areas together. The market will be separated into two main sites featuring crafts, and food and drink stalls. A one-way system will be in place around the sites which organisers from the council ask that all visitors abide by to keep themselves and other visitors safe. Hand sanitiser stations will also be available at each market site entrance and exit, and directional signage will help to direct visitors around the sites to enjoy a safe shopping experience. Mask wearing is not compulsory, though visitors should wear a mask if they prefer.

The market has been scaled back to allow for social distancing and will feature around half its usual number of stalls, but organisers have ensured that favourites in pies, cakes, art, jewellery and more will still feature at the reduced market.

Visitors to the market can enjoy an easy commute by making use of the free Park and Ride shuttle service which is returning for a third year since it was introduced in 2018. The shuttle service offers passengers a free short shuttle bus ride from Booths Hall to Knutsford Bus Station to help reduce burden on town centre car parks, some of which are closed for the event. Booths Hall is situated just 1 mile outside of Knutsford and has around 1,000 parking spaces available to allow visitors to park for free and board the free shuttle bus for an easy ride into the town centre. In 2020 rules for public transport will apply and passengers will be requested to wear a face mask where an exemption does not prevent this. Donations will be collected by volunteers from the Cheshire Badger Vaccination Programme.

There will unfortunately be no live entertainment at the market this year, and no hot food and drink stalls; this is to discourage dwell within the market itself but visitors can enjoy a visit to Knutsford’s wide array of restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars as part of their visit to the festive market instead.

For any enquiries regarding the market, you can email christmas@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk or call 01565 653 929.

Two men looking at a stage wearing t-shirts which say "crew" on the back

Knutsford Music Festival 2020 Cancelled

Knutsford Town Council has continually monitored the latest government advice concerning the spread of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and the evolving social distancing advice designed to limit the spread of the virus. Our priority is always public health and we strive to make responsible decisions when planning events to protect the public, our volunteers and our staff.

The Events and Town Centre Management Committee met on 26th May to review the latest guidance with respect holding the Knutsford Music Festival in September. With huge regret the decision was taken that it would not be sensible to attempt to hold the event and as such there will be no Knutsford Music Festival 2020. Knutsford Town Council prioritises the health and safety of our residents and we do not feel that continuing with a large-scale event at this time is the best way to do this.

We know that this will be disappointing for those who were planning to join us for a great line up of musicians, for the performers who were due to perform and for our local businesses who were organising events in their shops, bars and restaurants but we hope that all can understand this decision was made with the best of intentions to keep our residents and visitors safe. Planning for the 2021 festival will begin immediately with a view to announcing the dates of next year’s events as soon as possible.

We will be contacting everyone who purchased tickets for events to offer a refund and ask that all ticketholders bear with us as we process a large number of refunds.

The council will continue to closely monitor the guidance in relation to events as things develop over the coming months. Currently there have been no changes made to the Pumpkin Path event scheduled for 31st October or the Knutsford Christmas Markets scheduled for 28th & 29th November. The committee will review advice closer to these events and make decisions as to whether these events can be safely held in the coming months.

Knutsford Town Council would like to thank everyone for their patience as we work hard to minimise disruption during this tough time and we will continue to keep the public updated with our plans as we proceed.

If you would like more information, you can contact the council’s Events Officer at alex.brown@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk.