Skipton Little Theatre
Skipton Little Theatre has been the home of the Skipton Players since 1960. Seating a maximum of 72 people the theatre has a very friendly and personal atmosphere. The Players put on five plays every year.
Mart Theatre
A new non-traditional theatre space it is the only theatre placed in a working auction mart in the UK.
The Mart Theatre offers an experimental mixed programme of professional touring productions, workshops and events. The development is designed to provide an innovative and cultural facility in a rural area that aims to bring art and agriculture together in a creative response to the reality and future of rural and agricultural life.
The Mart Theatre
Waterways Festival
An annual gathering over May Bank Holiday weekend gathers boaters of all kinds in Skipton Canal Basin. It is always joined by entertainment and stalls.
Boats from all over the country get decorated, and take part in an illuminated cruise on Sunday evening. Attractions include displays, music, comedy, dancing, magic and canal tours and cruises. On Sunday morning, there always is a farmers market selling local produce.
Pennine Cruises
Annual Sheep Day
The flock of rare breeds will be given the run around along with a shearing demonstration and finishing off with a Disco!
With the help of The Young Farmers Association, visitors will find it hard to miss all the fantastic Dales related fun, with vintage tractors, sheep racing, a ducking stool, live sheep and much more, aswell as our other entertainment including demonstrations from The Mellin Family (Dog and duck) and Malham Smithy who both featured on ITV’s “The Dales” Program recently.
Other entertainment includes local Top Yorkshire Band – FOG, Ceilidh band Phoenix, Jazz, Soul and Motown singer – Rebecca Joy, The Accrington Pipe Band, Penny Plain Theatre Company, music and games from local Radio Station – Fresh, Corio Raptor birds of prey, vintage tractors, the bucking sheep, bodger demonstartions, rug making demos, spinning and weaving, rare breed sheep show, childrens activities, drystone walling demos, food and drink stalls, local produce, FAIRGROUND…plus plenty more – the list goes on!
Skipton Sheep Day
International Puppet Festival
Join in for a celebration of one of the oldest and newest of art forms, puppetry. Skipton is showcasing a whole range of shows that mix the traditional with the modern. This three day event offers a variety of performances for family and adult audiences as well as an extensive free street programme. It includes performances from Germany, France, Hungary and Finland as well as many companies from all over the UK. Truly spectacular!
Skipton Beer Festival
Skipton Beer Festival, organised by the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has been held in the Town Hall over three days in Spring for the last 5 years. In 2011 a record attendance of 2,158 customers drank their way through 859 gallons (3,910 litres) of 74 different cask-conditioned beers and 66 gallons (250 litres) of 16 different ciders and perries.
Customers travel from miles around, mainly independently by public transport, but you can get few coach trips as well. Local pubs have record sales over the festival weekend as festival-goers visit real ale pubs on their way to or from the festival, many of them using the free Guide to Skipton Pubs selling Real Ale produced by the local branch of CAMRA with financial assistance from Skipton BID.
Art in the Pen
At the Auction Mart Theatre, paticipation encouraged – take your art home with you.
Clogfest
Clog dancers from all over England gather in Skipton, on one of weekends in July to celebrate the glorious tradition of English step dance. It’s the only festival exclusively for step-clogging . . . not Morris, Appalachian, or any other dance style. Beginners have a place alongside experts – everyone has a performance on a public stage.
Yuletide Festival and Christmas Market
This hugely successful event attracts thousands of people from across the country on the first two Sundays of December. Skipton’s famous Market will be in full flow on both days – running the full length of the High Street. Together with the market there will be a full range of entertainment in the Town Centre throughout the day, both in the main High Street Arena and at themed locations across the Town. The whole of Skipton will have a real Christmas feel!
The Yuletide Festival is an ideal opportunity to sample a great atmosphere – and to bag yourself a pre-Christmas bargain at the same time. Each day of the Festival rounds off with a procession up the High Street to Holy Trinity Church (starting at 4pm) where a traditional Christmas carol service takes place in the grounds!
Shakespeare in the Castle
Outdoor summer show with actors performing one of Shakespeare pieces. Take your family, bring a picnic, a drop of your favourite and something to sit on.
Special Interest 2 day courses in Landscaping, Horticulture and Drystone Walling
If you are looking for a new career direction, something to add to your CV, want to learn a new skill, study for fun and meet people who share your interests, Craven College has 100s of exciting, interesting one day, weekend and part time courses. From DIY to Degree level study there is something for everyone. Choose from: Blacksmithing, Cake Decoration, Dry Stone Walling, Equine (BHS), Floristry, Gardening (RHS), Jewellery & Metalwork, Languages, Machine Knitting, Photography, Silk Screen Printing, Stained Glass, Stone Lettering & Carving and much, much more.
On the Outskirts of Skipton
Grassington Festival
It aims to bring high quality artists to our isolated rural area in the Yorkshire Dales in a festival of culture during 2 weeks in June. The local community which reaches far up into the Dales, have no access to quality arts outside of the festival as our nearest theatres are a considerable distance away. We price our tickets to be affordable so as many people as possible can have access to the performances, workshops and other events.
Dickensian Christmas Weekends (December)
During three December Saturdays Grassington is transported back to the time of Charles Dickens. See the Christmas lights, the village square and the streets transformed into a traditional market with shopkeepers, villagers and visitors dressed in Victorian costume. Enjoy the musicians, dancers, street entertainers and exhibitions of traditional country crafts. Experience the pleasure of doing your Christmas shopping, exploring our quaint shops, finding presents and curios in an atmosphere unlike any other.
Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival
Over a period of 9 days in August, all the scarecrows of Kettlewell come out to play. They can be found in gardens, open spaces, hidden corners and even on rooftops. Perhaps one may even be travelling over to a campsite near you!
The event is growing year by year and now attracts thousands of visitors who come to see the life-size scarecrows made and displayed around the village by local people.
Walk the Scarecrow Trail and taste some of the village’s delicious homemade produce along the way. As well as these friendly yet somewhat straw-like locals, there are lovely campsites to pitch up at around the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and within easy reach of Kettlewell.
Gargrave Show
Agricultural and Horticultural Show focusing mainly on sheep & poultry classes.
Kilnsey Show
Held every year on the Tuesday after August Bank Holiday against the magnificent backdrop of Kilnsey Crag, the show has been a showcase for the Dales farming community for over a hundred years and is one of the larger agricultural shows in the North of England.
Malham Show
Malham Show is held annually in the heart of beautiful Malhamdale in the Yorkshire Dales on August Bank Holiday Saturday. Under the shadow of Malham Cove this traditional agricultural and family country show has been taking place for over 100 years.
Great Britain’s Rhythm and Blues Festival
The Great British Rythm and Blues festival held annually in Colne is well known for bringing together some of the best Rhythm and Blues artists from all over the world. There’s plenty of entertainment over the weekend to suit all ages, so be sure to attend this family friendly festival and witness some of the world’s best R&B acts perform.
Beacons Festival
The non-corporate and unsponsored independent small festival set on an idyllic hillside in the countryside between Leeds and Bradford.
The festival showcases some of the brightest and freshest acts from Yorkshire, the North and beyond in six marquees. Music and entertainment includes folk, rock, blues, electro, breaks, drum and bass, techno, house, indie, brit-pop, nu rave, old rave, hip hop, dubstep, reggae, dub, beatboxing, breakdancing, baton twirling, fire eating, plus visuals, multi media, film and cinema tent, art installations, workshops, kid’s space, play activities, comedy, cabaret, beer and stalls.