Why rhubarb and beds could be recipe for success
Published: 3 March 2011
It might not be a natural mix, but rhubarb and beds could make a recipe for Yorkshire success after two of the county's weird and wonderful festivals were shortlisted for a national competition.
Wakefield's Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb and The Great Knaresborough Bed Race have beaten off stiff competition from around England to make it through to the Visit England Where Else But England awards.
Welcome to Yorkshire - the county's official tourism agency - has thrown its weight behind the two entries and now the public will decide which event should take the title.
The agency is now leading calls for people to vote for the Yorkshire events to help bring home the accolade.
Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: "Yorkshire prides itself on standing out from the crowd and these two festivals stand head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to uniqueness.
"One of the strengths we have here is offering something different to tourists, something a little extra, and these two events both deserve to win a national award. So I would encourage as many people as possible to log on and vote Yorkshire."
Cllr David Dagger, cabinet member for culture at Wakefield Council who run the rhubarb festival, said: "We are extremely proud to be up for this award which goes to show just how popular the festival is. We had visitors from home and abroad, including Spain this year. Now it's up to the public to vote for the festival and help it get to the national finals."
Nigel Perry, of the Knaresborough Lions who organise the Bed Race, said: "It's great for Knaresborough's Bed Race to be recognised in this way. Its mixture of fancy dress carnival and gruelling athletic contest captures the spirit of this medieval market town. On Bed Race day, we're expecting 25,000 visitors this year and hotels across North Yorkshire report heavy advanced bookings. It is truly the mother of all bed races."
The 10 events with the most votes will make it through to the final where a second round of voting will take place to select a winner.
To make your vote count from today, visit www.yorkshire.com/WhereElseButYorkshire Final voting closes on April 3, 2011.
The Visit England-run awards are a celebration of memorable events and places that have a quirky edge to them. The overall winner will be announced on April 9.
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Editors' Notes:
• Welcome to Yorkshire is the official tourism agency for Yorkshire, working to grow the county's visitor economy.
• Welcome to Yorkshire is funded by Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency charged with improving the Yorkshire and Humber economy.
• Key facts include:
• Tourism in Yorkshire is worth £7 billion annually
• The county's industry employs almost a quarter of a million people
• There are 216 million visits to Yorkshire each year
Links to the entries' websites and footage:
The Great Knaresborough Bed Race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD9DmuHToNw&feature=related
http://www.knaresborough.co.uk/bedrace/
Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb
http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/RhubarbFestival/default.htm
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For further information contact:
Graham Poucher - Press Officer
Email: gpoucher@yorkshire.com
Direct Line: 0113 322 3578
Mobile: 07805 958728
Beverley Richmond - Press Officer
Email: brichmond@yorkshire.com
Direct Line: 0113 322 3507
Mobile: 07769 257380