Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival of Light 2025:

Festival + Parade!

14th - 22nd February 2025

Moonraking at 40!
Join in with the performance on Saturday 22nd February

For Moonraking’s big birthday, locals will re-enact the Moonraking story, joined by new poetry, comedy, and carnival dance groups. 

Enjoy costumed characters and a lively soundtrack which mixes archive tunes from across the years with new words and music. Sound and Music from Noah Burton, We Are Stems and Fineline Audio. Poetry from Louise Fazackerly and Adam Strickson. 

Watershed Youth Theatre will showcase special Moonraking Shadow plays in shop windows and there will be dancing from North-west Morris side Slubbing Billy’s.

Impossible Arts will bring the Moonraker archive alive with a giant talking storybook, and will showcase brand new laser projections on the side of Globe Mill.  The extraordinary “Pedal Powered Poetry Tent” with Louise Fazakerly from Write Out Loud will project poetry and sound. 

Look out for giant barrel lanterns made with Waves, Globe Arts, Two Gates Primary, Wellhouse School, Nields Academy,  Wilberlee Junior and Infants School, Colne Valley High School and Slaithwaite Squirrels, Cubs and Scouts.

Selected lanterns from the family workshops will assemble at the Fire Station and be introduced in small groups to the performance area and into the parade. 

Fun music from The Peace Artistes and samba superstars Banda Na Rua will keep us all dancing! 

The giant illuminated moon will lead the procession along the canal, up Howgate Road and Bank Gate, along Royd St, down Crimble Bank and back into Carr Lane.

The moon will then be raised back up into the sky with sparkling fire effects from Optimum Fireworks and the help of surprise Slawit local celebrity guest voices! 

This is a free event, but if you can book ahead and/or give a donation in advance it would be much appreciated! 

Visitors with disabilities please let us know, we will do all  that we are able to help you to get the best from the event.

Sat 15th – Thur 20th Feb
at The Watershed, 22 Bridge Street, HD7 5JN

£5.00 per person per session. Under 13s must be accompanied by an adult

Lanterns are sculpted from willow, covered with tissue paper, soaked in glue, lit by candles and carried on bamboo poles to be carried on the Saturday procession. This year’s lantern theme is SHOP! All materials are provided and ideas, templates and inspiration to get you started. There will be special help for beginners at all workshops (except 1pm on Thursday).

Maximum 50 people in each workshop. Homemade cakes on sale in each session.

  • Simple prototype lanterns could be made in 1 session, but a more complex lantern may take 2 or 3 sessions to complete

 

  • Lanterns will need to be transported home when you have completed them and brought along to the procession on Saturday the 22nd February

 

  • Please bring secateurs if you have them.

Lantern Workshop Timetable:

Parade Route

The main parade will start at Carr Lane in the centre of the village before travelling past the shops towards the roundabout and then following the route marked in orange on the map. Be sure to wrap up warm and waterproof and wear your comfiest shoes, Slawit’s weather can bring extra surprises!

Afterparties

After the parade on Saturday 22nd Feb, get warm and toasty and enjoy tasty food and drink thoughout the village. Special after party events include:

The main parade will start at Carr Lane in the centre of the village before travelling past the shops towards the roundabout and then following the route marked in orange on the map. Be sure to wrap up warm and waterproof and wear your comfiest shoes, Slawit’s weather can bring extra surprises!

Live Music at the Civic with The Happy Fish and Fishing 4 Compliments

Food and bar from Zapato Brewing

The Civic, 15a New Street, HD7 5AB 3.30 – 11pm FREE ENTRY but donations welcome for renovating the building: justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/slaithwaite-civichall

Outdoor Bar and Hot Food

Northern Sole

39 Bridge Street HD7 5JN www.northernsolecafe.com

Live Jazz from Scarlett Dickinson

Wine Slawit

8pm 33 Britannia Road, HD7 5HF

07766 632236
www.wineslaithwaite.co.uk
www.scarlettdickinson.co.uk/

Extra festival week events

Book online at buytickets.at/slaithwaitemoonrakingfestival unless otherwise stated

40th Anniversary Moonraker Family Ceilidh

Dancing and music for all the family from The Moonraker Band. Lots of fun for all ages!

Hot supper available, licensed bar and fundraising raffle.

Fri 14 Feb 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM 

£9 adult, £6 child, £23.50 family 

The Civic, 15a New Street, HD7 5AB

40 Years of Moonraking - A History

Join us for a glass of bubbly to celebrate 40 years of Moonraking! Reflections and highlights from people involved from the very beginning. Meet the new organisers and find out opportunities to get involved in developing Moonraking for the future. This event will be filmed by Kirklees. Local TV and shown online.


Wed 19 Feb 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

FREE ENTRY

Slaithwaite Community Centre, Bank Gate, HD7 5DL

Moonraking Children’s Craft and Storytime

For under 5’s and their families with storyteller and festival chair Susanna Meese and festival producer Kath Shackleton. All welcome

Mon 17 Feb 10:30 AM – 11:30 PM

FREE ENTRY

Slaithwaite Library, Cross Street, HD7 5AF

Red Deer Club presents Belinda O’Hooley and The Midges

Solo performance from BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominee pianist and singer Belinda O’Hooley renowned for her highly individual, sensitive musicality best known for the ‘Gentleman Jack’ TV theme song. Supported by musical duo, The Midges, Matt Regan and Chris Ruffoni, who blend folk melodies, electronic beats, soaring cello, and hypnotic guitars.

Bar by Zapato Brewing.

Sat 15 Feb 7pm – 10:30 pm

£19.80 full £16.50 concessions
wegottickets.com/event/645982

The Civic, 15a New Street, HD7 5AB

Fundraising events

A New Leaf Children’s Book Club

Moon themed book activities for children 6-11 years old Bargain books sale and licensed bar for accompanying adults. Please book in advance at A New Leaf Bookshop

hello@anewleafbookshop.co.uk

07967 149274

Sun 16th Feb 4 – 6pm FREE ENTRY

Empire House, Lewisham Road HD7 5AL

Ruddi’s Cafe

19 – 21 Station Road HD7 5AW All classes

9.30 – 11am For children 5 years and upwards £12 per child including a snack. 50p per booking goes to the Moonraking Festival

Mon 17th Feb Cupcake Decorating

Tue 18th Feb Slime Making

Weds 19th Feb Old School Cake Decorating

Thur 20th Feb Pizza Making

Fri 21st Feb Moonraking Milkshake Making

Classes always sell out fast so please don’t delay in booking

Call 01484 766050

Arty Explorers

Carr Lane, HD7 5AG Half term storytelling, imaginative play and themed arts and crafts classes themed around the story By the Light of the Moon. For babies through to KS1 aged children.

Book online at  www.artyexplorers.co.uk

Yorkshire Education Service Tuition Moonlit and Moonstruck! Workshops

Join teachers Charlotte and Martin for a creative workshop where children will produce stories, plays, poetry, illustrations and performances inspired by Moonraking. Prizes for the best contribution!

Weds 19th and Thur 20th Feb 10 – 11.30 am. 

YES! Tuition Centre 6 New St, HD7 5AB £20 for 1 child  additional friend/sibling £10 (please bring your own snacks) 

Book at info@yestuition.co.uk or call 01484 844222/07403 624995

Moon and Imagination! at The Clay Mill Pottery Studio Britannia Mills, HD7 5HE

Join in with exciting clay workshops for families – choose from Tiny Moon Landscapes, have a go on the pottery wheel and festival themed sculptures!

From £10

Booking info@theclaymill.co.uk or ticketsource.co.uk/the-clay-mill

Travel – THINK GREEN

If you’re local, please walk to the sessions if possible! 

The train station is a 5-minute walk from the village centre, with trains from Manchester, Huddersfield, and Leeds. There are a few local buses that drop down into Slaithwaite from Huddersfield and across the valleys.Popular bus routes are: 184, 335, 382, 383, 394, 938

Parking: New Street Car Park offers 2 hours free with RingGo (charges apply after), Aldi allows 3 hours free, and parking on Bridge Street is limited. Check signs carefully for changes.

Event Safety

First aid and fire stewards will accompany the lantern procession – ask them for help if needed. Carr Lane will be closed, with other roads closed briefly. Contact us for more details. 

Accessibility 

To avoid Bank Gate’s steep hill, follow the canal loop and wait at The Swan pub to rejoin the parade. Accessible toilets are by The Swan, with a Changing Places facility at Experience Community in the Civic Hall basement (RADAR key required). For accessible parking, email slawitmoonraking@gmail.co.uk

Food and Drink

Anello Pizza

Special Moonraker dessert! Available from the 12th to the 23rd of Feb. All money from sales donated to the festival.

Britannia Road, HD7 5HF

www.anellopizza.co.uk

Ruddi’s Café

Ruddi’s Café For the 22nd February we will serve an array of beautiful drinks, cakes, sweets and treats available alongside our fabulous hot chocolate range. 

19 – 21 Station Road HD7 5AW

Darkwoods Coffee

Enjoy their exclusive Moonraker blend, £1 from every bag of coffee sold will be going to Moonraking.

Available in selected Slaithwaite shops and at www.darkwoodscoffee.co.uk

To check out the full range of food and drink on offer in Slaithwaite visit: slaithwaite.info/food-drink-guide

(please book ahead – things get very busy!)

 

Sponsored by:

Thanks to University of Manchester, Kirklees Third Sector Leaders, Arts Council Digital Culture Network, TG Events, A New Leaf Bookshop, Making Waves, Globe Arts, Anello Pizza, Ruddi’s Cafe, Arty Explorers, Acorn & Pip, Green Valley Grocers, The Civic Slaithwaite, The Clay Mill, Otso, Slubbing Billy’s, Far Cry Acapella, George Shaw and Sons, Kirklees Local TV, Fishing 4 Compliments, The Happy Fish, We Are Stems, Fineline Audio, Nadia Amini, Olivia Hyde Music, Canal and River Trust, Otso, Impossible Arts, Green Valley Grocers, Annie Dearman, Slaithwaite Scouts, Slaithwaite Fire Station, Resource Print Solutions, Globe Mill, YES Education, Experience Community, Slaithwaite Library, Kerfuffle Theatre, Keisha Hamilton, Lee Corner, 6 Million +, Jonah Simpson, Adam and Kim Strickson and all of our volunteers for their support in kind. Thanks to Artwood Interiors and to Frances Cole for their donations and to all who have given to The Lunar Levy to bring back the festival this year! Illustration by Jane Horton @artyjaneh