New Harrogate festival in Valley Gardens

What a summer is coming up for Harrogate! To Harrogate International Festivals' trio of fantastic events - the Crime Writing Festival, Raworths Literature Festival and Harrogate Music Festival comes a new, free festival in the Valley Gardens organised by the town's independent community.
Part of HappyGate - director of Release the Hounds festival, Steph Jones.Part of HappyGate - director of Release the Hounds festival, Steph Jones.
Part of HappyGate - director of Release the Hounds festival, Steph Jones.

HappyGate arts & music event promises to be an exciting display of local artistic talent raising money for local charities and bringing all the different sections of Harrogate's diverse community together.

Local artists will have unusual and thought-provoking installations around the festival & there will be a varied program of children's activities and workshops throughout the day.

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Taking place on July 24 in the Valley Gardens from 11am, the three charities that will be benefiting from HappyGate are:

Fighting Ependymoma, a children's brain tumour research charity set up in memory of Chris Bramhall a local musician.

Craft Aid International, run by Susie Hart MBE, a Harrogate-based charity that enables, empowers and supports people with disabilities and provides free weekly therapeutic craft workshops for disabled adults within the local community, particularly those who are socially isolated and lack opportunities meet other people.

The Harrogate Homeless Project, an independent charity that was founded by Harrogate Churches Together in 1991 in order to try and alleviate the growing number of people sleeping rough in the district.

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The name HappyGate was chosen mainly due to Harrogate having been voted the happiest place to live in the UK for three years running & the organisers are keen to show just how happy a place Harrogate really is.

The events include live music stages of all styles run by Dan Mizen of Active Audio, a poetry corner run by Stephanie Jones of Release the Hounds fest featuring material from established and new local poets and Trevor Broadbank, aka “DJ Trev” who will be bringing a programme of uplifting entertainment including Vinyl classics & a “Skool Disco” for the young and young at heart.

A host of local traders will be catering the event with a selection of different types of inspiring quality cuisines available from stallholders.

Sponsorship deals are still available for companies wishing to benefit from the publicity surrounding HappyGate and should contact them via their website happygate.co.uk

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