Stalybridge Splash Monday, 26th May 2008: 12noon – 5.00pm

Tameside’s biggest annual street festival is back for a record breaking 8th year! Stalybridge Splash will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, 26th May 2008 between 12.00noon and 5.00pm in Armentieres Square, Stalybridge and surrounding streets. This massive event promises to bring Stalybridge Town Centre and Armentieres Square to life with a fantastic programme of colourful street theatre, fun workshops, music and dance for the whole family. The event will also feature a special ‘Battle of the Bands’ contest for the first time ever, to be held inside Stalybridge Civic Hall! Local band ‘Wasted’ will open the event at 12noon, followed by six local young bands that will be competing for the ‘Battle of the Bands’ title. The winner of the contest will go on to represent Tameside in the Greater Manchester Youth Games Battle of the Bands in July. They will also get two studio days at MCC studios in Mottram and £50 per band member prize money! Tameside Radio will be involved in the event for the first time, compering the ‘Battle of the Bands’ stage. There will be a dance stage at the event for the second year running, allowing everyone in the Town to dance the day away with their best moves. Performances on the dance stage will include belly dancing, break dancing, cheerleading, Bollywood, Irish dancing and capoeira. The stage will be compered by young MC Jahangir aka. Young Twist. This local young rapper performed recently at the Tameside Youth Arts Showcase and wowed audiences with his confident MC style and slick lyrics. Pint-sized comic Alex Lees will also be performing at the event, fresh from his stint on ‘Britain’s got Talent’. The youngster from Chapel Street, Dukinfield was buzzed out initially by the judges after they decided he didn’t cut it as a mini Robbie Williams. But they were so impressed by his stage presence during auditions in Blackpool that they suggested he come back and have another shot as a stand-up comedian. On the streets, Balloonatic will be knotting together balloons to create weird and wonderful objects, whilst Bread and Butter Theatre Company will be entertaining crowds with their ‘Viva Las Wedding’ walkabout performance. ‘Beach Patrol’ will be on hand to save any damsels in distress and Edmond Thal will perform his absurd improvisational walkabout in Stalybridge for the first time. This year there will be more to do than ever before - get your hands dirty with clay modelling, tree decorating, junk instrument making and rod puppet making. There will also be face painting and henna hand painting - and all activities are free! For all you children out there, a large funfair will be operating on Tesco’s car park and in Armentiers Square throughout the day with all the rides, amusements and slides you could possibly want! Trinity Street will also be filled with inflatable slides and rides! Adults can browse around the continental market located on Trinity Street with stalls selling a variety of food and crafts. Two Stalybridge heritage tours will take place on the day, giving visitors the opportunity to take in some of Stalybridge’s most well known landmarks. Tours will take place at 1.30pm and 3.30pm and last no longer than 30 minutes. Anyone interested can book a place at the ‘Friends of Gorse Hall’ stall at the event, located in Armentiers Square. Willow Wood Hospice will be joining in the fun and are once again organising a massive charity duck race. Ducks can be sponsored for £1 each and tickets are still on sale at Tesco, Stalybridge; the Hospice Shop on Grosvenor Street or from the Hospice itself. Approximately 2,000 ducks will be launched into the Huddersfield Canal at 11.00am from Armentiers Square. Weather depending, they will (hopefully!) race along the canal and pass the finishing line at the Tesco Bridge. The Music Corner on Melbourne Street will also be hosting its’ very own mini-fringe festival this year with entertainment and performances throughout the day. For the health and safety of everyone attending this year’s event, organisers would like visitors to be aware that a strict alcohol ban will once again be enforced throughout the town centre. Anyone carrying alcohol will be asked to leave the event arena immediately. So forget those plans for a weekend away - come to Armentieres Square, Stalybridge for a magical street festival with a difference - a fantastic day out for all the family. All the above information has been taken from Tameside MBC Council webpages.