Monday 10 September 2012

Visiting The Freedom Festival.

Good morning. A few pics from my visit to the Freedom Festival at Hull on Saturday. Outside the church was a small gathering of stalls, mainly depicting things of a historical and heritage nature. There was wool spinning, a town crier, archeological finds, and this lovely collection of coach built perambulators. I didn't know there was such a thing as a Pram Society. Here is their web site.
http://www.thepramsociety.com/

This lovely lady is certainly dressed for the part and was happy to pose for me.

A chat with this lady revealed that she collects vintage prams and has 60 stored in a container. She visits shows all around Yorkshire showing off her collection. It must be difficult to choose which ones to take, she transports them in a trailer towed behind her car.

I had a wander around the Marina area.

There was several stages set up in different locations around the city. Long lists of performers and the times they were due on stage, were dotted about. I must say though, that looking through the names I didn't recognise any of them apart from Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, who were on stage on Saturday night. This is the Yellow Bus stage, don't know who the band is though.

As I wandered around, some of the stages were empty, obviously in between turns, and those artists who were performing were just a horrible noise. Perhaps I am getting too old for this kind of entertainment. I have lost touch with modern bands. I didn't see any music for us of more senior years. I would have liked to see some Rock and Roll, or brass bands, or soul bands. I can't get my head round these youngsters that pick up a guitar and yell into a mike. Oh dear, I sound like Mrs Grumpy, but I'm not really.

There was a circus and a comedy show, but I was there at the wrong time to catch them. I suppose I could have bought a ticket and waited for the show to start but decided against that.

I saw several of these colourful cars dotted about the place, sprouting growing flowers and plants from the boot and engine compartment. They gave a nice arty touch to the place.

There was a lot to keep the children entertained, a load of sand had been dumped on a paved area of  Queens Gardens, creating a mini beach where the kiddywinks could build sandcastles. There was also lots of challenges and games that the youngsters could join in with, it was great to see them having such fun.

Random statue for you, ha ha. Who is this golden man on a golden horse? Don't know but I like it.

Just to redress the balance, I am listening to Burnsy on Radio Humberside as I type. The general concensus is that the Freedom Festival was a fantastic success, bringing thousands of money spending public into the city. Business was indeed brisk at all the beer tents, queueing six deep in some places. Not surprising that people were drinking a lot, the weather was hot and sunny. I couldn't join them though, I had driven my car a short distance to the next village to get the bus to Hull, and I don't drink and drive. Also if I have a drink I need to use the loo, and I hate those portaloo's that they bring in for these type of events, they usually stink. Perhaps a quick dash in and out while holding your breath is just about acceptable if they are tucked away in some discreet quiet area, but the ones I saw were lined up along a fence facing the crowds strolling by. Give me a quiet spot in a wood or behind a hedge in the countryside any day, ha ha.

Got to go. Stuff to do. Toodle pip.  

8 comments:

  1. When I read a post like this one, or the previous, I think to myself "she REALLY is living a brilliant life on a pension and doing so very happily". Your pictures, your tours, your thoughts, your love of animals are such a delight to read. I have learned a lot from you! :)

    I enjoyed your tour of the FF and loved the pic of the arty car. Now how will you top that wonderful day out?

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  2. I seem to be seeing a lot of articles about "old fashioned" prams recently. I had a Silver Cross pram when I was a baby...never appreciated it then(!) but I can now see why they were such a big deal.
    Jane x

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  3. I love festivals! This one was so pretty and sounded interesting. I so agree about screaming guitars, screaming singers, mics and the volume turned up. Aaack!

    When I was a baby, I was driven about in a baby buggy, what you call a pram. My mother pushed us down a country road to pick persimmons. The next year when we went to pick persimmons when I was almost three, my mother had had another baby, and I had to walk. I was quite hurt by what seemed like an injustice. My pram/buggy was nothing as fancy as these.

    I wonder if there is a pram collection in this country. I only see shabby ones in antique stores here.

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  4. Apparently the statue is William III. About prams, there was someone showing them at Flookburgh Steam Gathering the other year. There were some beauties. If anyone has heard of the pram maker Osnath, their factory used to be in Warrington, where I live. The building is still there but sadly has been split up into little showrooms, none of which are much cop. It was always quite a landmark, as it is a long, quite attractive small factory.

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  5. The statue is King Billy http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2227749 a famous landmark, don't know how come it is always still gold and never seems to tarnish. Seems like you had a good day out in Hull, if you'd been there the week before we could have met up as I was wondering around trying to buy a pair of shoes will the boys watched Hull win at the KC stadium.....

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  6. King Billy is covered in real gold leaf which is why he doesn't tarnish, there is a debate everytime he needs a new coat and luckily the council find the money. He doesn't need one very often though.

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  7. Another interesting post Ilona...thanks.
    Still can't believe that there are folks who collect vintage prams....that's very interesting.

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  8. I thought it must be King Billy. OH was brought up in Beverly, near Hull. There is a King Billy pub in nearby Cottingham too. Don't know why they celebrate William of Orange.
    I had a second hand coach built pram for my first two. At least one of the leather straps that held the body on gave way (as I was walking home from town). With a baby, a 2yr old on a pram seat at one end, and a weeks shopping it was a bit unstable - but easier than a modern buggy.
    Then it was used in the garden as a boat and a set of wheels to whizz down the slope on.
    Finally, with a hole in the bottom the 'boat' went on the Nov 5th bonfire (and guess what I found out soon after would be happening in the next July)

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