Yorkshire prepares for first Tractors’ March

The annual two-day event on the weekend of June 8-9 will also involve a ‘March of the Tractors’ for the first time in its eight-year history. A line of tractors and engines will follow a route into Ripon centre where shops, cafes and restaurants will stay open to mark the occasion. The tractors will be sent on their way back to Newby Hall by the Ripon Hornblower.

The following morning, the Dean of Ripon, the Very Reverend Keith Jukes, will bless some tractors outside Ripon Cathedral.

Newby Hall estate manager Stuart Gill is expecting thousands of visitors to attend the event.

He said: “This year’s Tractor Fest will be our biggest and best yet. The March of the Tractors will be particularly spectacular. Seeing Ripon market square full of engines will be a great sight and experience for all those who come along.”

Iconic tractors and machinery will be a feature of the festival, including British Nuffield tractors, Morris Motors and Petter barn engines. There will be a celebration of 100 Years of Tractors, a return of the ‘Dancing Does’ tractor troupe, and a selection of crawlers, big and small.

Other attractions aimed at getting families involved include working machinery, tractor rides, cars and trucks, interactive exhibits, food stalls and trade stands.

Richard Sturdy, chairman of the event’s organisers, The Yorkshire Vintage Association, said: “The Tractor Fest is a popular fixture in the Yorkshire calendar and we want as many people as possible from the region and across the UK to join us at this year’s celebration.”

Tickets for the Tractor Fest are priced £9 adults, £8 concessions and £7.50 children. For more information, visit www.theyva.com and www.newbyhall.co.uk