TWENTY-FIFTH OTLEY FOLK FESTIVAL

Early day motion 661, tabled 8 November 2016 by Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 4 members.

That this House celebrates the twenty-fifth Otley Folk Festival which took place in 2016; congratulates Steve Fairholme and all the volunteers who have helped organise Otley Folk Festival over the past 25 years, a celebration of the best of local, national and international folk culture, music and dance and also of the many traditional local pubs and other venues that are part of this culture and support the festival; notes that Otley Folk Festival and Otley Folk Club have helped maintain a thriving folk culture in Otley; believes that folk culture, music and dance is important both for maintaining traditional music and dance but also for allowing contemporary folk musicians and dance sides to express sentiments and views derived from local, historic and current experience; thanks all musicians, artists and dance sides who have performed at the festival over the years, including Stanley Accrington and Dave Vermond who performed at the inaugural Otley Folk Festival in 1991 and again at the twenty-fifth festival; further thanks sponsors Black Sheep and Otley Town Council and all local businesses who have supported Otley Folk Festival over the years; also notes that Otley Folk Festival is important to the local economy by attracting people from all over the country as well as encouraging local people to attend and take part; and looks forward to Otley Folk Festival in 2017 and to many more years of this fantastic event.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 2, DUP 1, Scottish National Party 1.