BUDE-Stratton Heritage Festival, organised by Bude-Stratton Town Council, last Sunday, July 21, is an annual event intended to celebrate and showcase the people, places, inventions and achievements of the town and wider Cornish culture as well as providing an enjoyable family day out, writes Christine Williams.

This year the festival coincided with the bi-centenary of the start of the construction of Bude Canal on July 23, 1819, so inevitably the canal was a constant theme of the day. Near the library the Rolle Canal Society had supplied two full-size replica ‘tub boats’ similar to those used on the Bude Canal.

By the canal the Bude Pilot Gig Club offered visitors a chance to try out rowing in their wooden gig or to find out how far they could row in a minute on a rowing machine.

In the Castle, in the Blanchminster Room there was a special celebratory exhibition of watercolours of local seascapes entitled ‘On The Canal, At The Castle’ by Bude artist Harry McConville and in the Willoughby Room an exhibition entitled ‘Glimpses’ by Sarah Ball, based on her encounters along the South West Coast Path. The canal was also featured in the fete style ‘Show Classes’ competition such as canal themed decorated cakes and flower arrangements or photographs of the canal.

In the Parkhouse Centre the Bude Canal Trust and Bude Canal and Harbour Society displays were reminders of how the precious heritage of the canal and harbours is being preserved and extended.

The event was blessed with fine, warm weather and as the crowds began to arrive, John Collacott on the PA system kept everyone informed about what was happening. The entertainment began on the bandstand with live music by Bude Metric Brass, dancing by the Carnkie Cloggers, followed by the Bideford Youth Pipe Band and continued in the afternoon with the Cornish Folk Rock Harmony Group, the Countrymen, Bude Town Band, and on the Bark House Lawn the Ukulele group ‘All@c’.

In a large marquee were examples of the work of local craftsmen and women and local artists: wooden toys, hand-made jewellery, glassware and surf apparel attracted admiring attention. On the lawn for the children were a bouncy castle, a toy box and various amusements and rides as well as face-painting by Claire. Among birds of prey on display were three owls, a goshawk and a common buzzard and the Blanchminster Room was filled to capacity for two highly entertaining magic shows by Adrian Ward of the Magic Circle. In addition to Limelight Café there were plenty of stalls serving a variety of food, and drinks were available from a mobile shepherd’s hut bar named ‘Shepherd’s Baa’.

In the afternoon there was a good number of entries for the Tamar Vets dog show in which pets competed in classes such as the best veteran, prettiest, bitch and waggiest tail with Marmite, a miniature dachshund, judged to be ‘best in show’ and Pebbles Wells a flat coat retriever taking ‘reserve’.

In the Parkhouse Centre and on the Bark House Lawn was a variety of community and heritage stalls belonging to local organisations and charities which greatly enhance the community. Among them, ‘Save Our Sea Pool’ were displaying their efforts to preserve that valuable asset and Bude Twinning Association’s stall reminded visitors that they had just celebrated the 40th anniversary of the town’s link with Ergue Gaberic. On the Parkhouse stage some energetic senior citizens gave an ‘Exercise for Mobility’ demonstration and nearby was a surf simulator for the even more energetic.

As the afternoon drew to a close Janine King, heritage development officer, expressed her pleasure after an immensely successful day which visitors had clearly enjoyed. Paying tribute to Bude-Stratton Town Council who had funded the festival and event organiser Carolyn Seager. Janine said: “It’s been a fantastic day blessed with perfect weather, possibly one of the best ever.”