Amazing Accrington’s wonderfully wacky Soapbox Challenge has confirmed a date for 2023 following a successful event this year.
Around 15,000 visitors from all over the North West attended the event and enjoyed the spectacle and weather on Saturday, August 27.
The 170-metre-long Soapbox track for competitors to race down included chicanes and jumps, and competitors were squirted with 50 water blasters that were handed out to young viewers.
The spectacle continued in Town Square where the carts were displayed in pit lanes, to ensure a good view of the soapbox vehicles.
Next year's event will again be a highlight of the bank holiday weekend, with it set to take place on August 26, 2023.
Sara Britcliffe, MP for Hyndburn, said: "What a fantastic event we've got here in Accrington with the Soapbox Challenge.
“Huge thank you to Amazing Accrington. Huge crowds here, this is what we like to see - Town Square, the town centre and all the shops being used - so thank you to everyone involved."
Worthy winners were the E&R Group with their Chicken Run, and competitors were dressed to the nines.
Onlookers were treated to everything from Nuns on The Run and Dick Dastardly, to a very special cart made for BBC Radio Lancashire's Graham Liver and Sharon Hartley, designed by listeners and brought to life by students at North Lancs Training Group.
Heath Groves, chief executive of Sundown Solutions, said: "This was possibly the best event ever hosted in Accrington over this last decade - to see the entire community brought together like this is simply fantastic!"
An exciting addition to this year's event was The CODE Show, a local coding roadshow that celebrated how 1980's Britain embraced the home computer – an exclusive and impressive display for Accrington.
Gary McNab, from The Code Show, added: "Thank you very much to Amazing Accrington, it's been a fabulous day.
"It's been wonderful to see children embracing coding and parents recalling their memories of using their computers!"
The event was so popular, Amazing Accrington has already pencilled the date in for next year so make sure you keep Saturday, August 26, 2023 free in your diaries.
Murray Dawson, chair of Amazing Accrington, said: "What a fabulous day - the weather was great and to see so many people enjoying the event and packing out Accrington is just fantastic.
“It was a fair contest and congratulations to the winners. Other towns are interested in us running a Soapbox Challenge so next year we may have a series of events!"
All profits made from entry fees will once again go to Maundy Relief, the charity set up to benefit the people of Hyndburn.
To book one of next year's 20 places released for early bookings, visit the Amazing Accrington website.
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