Former Stone Specialist editor, Eric Bignell reports on The European Stone Festival which is returning to the UK this year. It will be held 24-25 May at The Minster in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
The annual European Stone Festival was to have been held in Halifax in 2022 but became a casualty of the Covid lockdowns. However, it was always intended that it should come to Halifax as soon as possible and this year it will. It is the third time it has been held in the UK (it was in Canterbury in 2003 and Lincoln in 2012).
The Festival was instigated by the stonemasonry college in Frieburg in 1999 and is still overseen by the college. It has grown in popularity as it has developed and wherever it goes always attracts well over 100 carvers and crowds of visitors. Anyone who would like to come and see the carvers at work and enjoy the food and entertainment that will accompany the carving event are welcome from 10am to 6pm on the Saturday and Sunday of the Festival.
This year the number of carvers had to be restricted to 120 because that is the maximum who could be accommodated, although Helen Jukes, who is the powerhouse from the West Riding Stonecarving Association (WRSA) pulling everything together, says there were a lot more who have missed the boat because applications were accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Most of the carvers taking part this year come from mainland Europe, although there is a strong contingent of about 50 from the UK.
At the conclusion of the European Stone Festival the works produced by the carvers during the weekend will be auctioned, so visitors will have a chance to take one of the works home with them. The stone they will be carving this time is the limestone from Johnston Quarry Group’s Creeton Quarry in Lincolnshire.
As well as the carvers, there will be the stands of some of the companies associated with stone carving selling their products. There will be a selection of food on sale with Dimitri the magician to amaze and amuse diners. A musical background will be provided by Phil Hayley & His Comets, the Elland silver youth band and the roaming Ski Band.
Find out more at: https://stonecarvingfestival.uk/ and https://stonecarvingassociation.org/