Settle Flowerpot Festival returns with more than 150 weird and wonderful creations

More than 150 unique and wonderful creations have sprung up across Settle for the eighth Flowerpot Festival - the brainchild of the community partnership - Vibrant Settle.

Steve Amphlett, the chair for Vibrant Settle, who has lived in the area for 20 years said the idea came about 11 years ago to improve the area.

The organisation sought ways to bring vibrancy to the community, after the area had fallen into a difficult phase with many vacant shops and a lack of colour in the community.

Mr Amphlett, told The Yorkshire Post: “We really wanted to start promoting the town and making the town more vibrant because it was going through a really difficult phase at that time.

“We wanted to give the place a lift - so one of the initiatives was to do the festival. He added: “It’s very light hearted - it’s not a competition so there is no competitive element.”

“It’s for people of all ages and they see the humour in it and it makes them smile.”

Mr Amphlett, 66, is part of a three-strong team, who has arranged the six mile flowerpot displays in the public areas with three trials which take you to different parts of the town.

Contributions from individual households, businesses and community groups are also on show.

Impressive installations guaranteed to raise a smile include a full-size Harry Potter and Hedwig to the giant crayfish hanging from a bridge over the Ribble.

This year also sees the new addition of a ‘parrot parade’ - where 25 flower pots of the colourful birds adorn an avenue of trees.

While a more risque creation based on 1950s saucy postcards can be found at Well Hill featuring two bathers. A female figure named Dorine is accompanied by Cyril, who has a handkerchief on his head, as they sit unclothed in a trough at the old wells.

“The bathers' design is very quirky and the setting it is in works really well,” Mr Amphlett said.

Other creations include a dinosaur, unicorn and giant Mario figure.

Mr Amphlett said despite the festival continuing to grow annually this year’s event was “more important than ever”.

He said: “It’s especially important this year - like everywhere the local businesses have been hit hard with covid and this was an opportunity to really get people to come back to the town and spend time in the town and hopefully spend money in the local businesses.

“But also once again the same theme remains, like every year it is just about making people smile.

“If we achieve that - it’s great.”

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