Festival for new century

Lack of support for this year's RossFest and Rossendale Carnival prompted a major rethink of how the area's arts and community festivals are organised.

Plans have been put forward for a "SuperFest 2000" which will take in the Valley's three major towns and bring together all of Rossendale's most popular events.

SuperFest 2000 would take place in Haslingden on August 12 and 13, Bacup on August 19 and 20, and Rawtenstall from August 26 to 28.

Haslingden's weekend would include the popular street fair, the community play, Project One O One youth events and the Haslingden Mushaira Asian poetry festival.

Bacup's would include the Rossendale Carnival, road racing, a rock showcase and a folk programme.

Rawtenstall would host Asian events, Best of Valley Brass, Rossendale Players and Irwell Day 2000 at Groundwork.

An exhibition programme and pub programme would run throughout the three weeks of SuperFest in all three towns.

Rossendale Carnival is also in-line for a major re-vamp as part of the changes and professional artistes could be brought in to work with the communtiy in the weeks running up to the carnival to produce a spectacular parade. And the carnival street fair could be moved back to its original home of Stubbylee Park in Bacup to allow expansion and create a gala atmosphere.

But Superfest 2000 is not the only suggestion for a festival for the millennium as other local groups and individuals have submitted their own ideas to the council.

Councillor Lawrence Forshaw, chairman of the leisure and recreation committee, said: "There are lots of other plans and ideas that have come into us that we will discuss. Pete Gill, Rossendale's Town Crier has submitted some ideas, as have other people.

"The committee will come together to look at all the different options before any final decision is made."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.