Harrogate Borough Council have just released details of the spectator fan zone for the Tour de Yorkshire.
This year, the Tour de Yorkshire takes place from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 April, and Harrogate has paid £100K to host the finish of both the men’s stage two race and the women’s race.
The 122.5km stage two route will start in Tadcaster and riders will cycle through some of Yorkshire’s finest market towns, picturesque villages and beautiful countryside before the action reaches its crescendo in Harrogate – with the women’s race expected to arrive around 12.27pm and the men’s race around 4.56pm.
Celebrations in the town will begin on Friday 28 April when the Harrogate Cycle Festival opens. Located on West Park Stray in Harrogate, the festival will provide a wide range of entertainment for residents and visitors to enjoy.
What’s on – Fan zone – Saturday
The festival is free to attend and will be open from 4pm on Friday 28 April until 6pm on Sunday 30 April.
Besides giving people the chance to watch the race on the big screen, the festival will also feature live entertainment including performances from Queen Tribute Band – HRH and award winning singer/songwriter Rob Reynolds on Friday evening, and Robbie Williams Tribute Act, Dan Budd, on Saturday evening.
The event will also showcase local and regional musical and creative talent, include cycling themed exhibitions and activities, such as the opportunity to try out electric bikes; and feature street performances and a film screening.
On Saturday, the Artizani theatre company will be entertaining the festival crowds with their ‘Bees’ multi-sensory walkabout performance between 10.30am-12.00pm and 2pm-3.30pm. The Vegetable Nannies, two everyday gardeners who’ve taken their young vegetables out of the ground for a day trip, will also be amusing the crowds between 11.30am-12.15pm, 1.15pm-2pm and 3.00pm-3.45pm within the festival and on Parliament Street near the finish line for the race.
Other entertainment on Saturday includes performances from the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps and Harrogate’s All Together Now Community Choir.
Between 2.00pm-2.45pm, Open Country, a local cycling group for people with disabilities, will be taking to the race route on Parliament Street to promote disability cycling.
Meanwhile, anyone visiting Crescent Gardens will have the opportunity to sample culinary delights from around the world at a mini StrEat Food Festival.
Visitors to the Royal Pump Room Museum, will be in for a cycling themed treat including an exhibition of vintage cycles – from a boneshaker to a penny farthing; oral history recordings by key people involved in Harrogate’s cycling history, including the daughter of legendary cyclist Beryl Burton; and a cycling shadow puppets film created by the museum’s artist in residence, Douglas Thompson. Further details about the museum, including opening times and admission prices can be found at www.harrogate.gov.uk/royalpumproommuseum
On Saturday evening, following the finish of the race, the Royal Pump Room Museum will be holding a free special ‘Evening of Cycling’ between 5.00pm and 8.00pm celebrating Harrogate’s rich cycling past, present and future with cycling experts and enthusiasts including cycling journalist Guy Kesteven, illustrator Martin Proctor and writer Martin Gatenby, author of ‘Life as a Mamils – My life as a middle aged man in lycra’.
On Sunday, the fun will continue at the Harrogate Cycling Festival with live performances from Moon on a Stick, who will be performing a selection of Disney songs, and local band Hot Source.
For those people keen to take to two wheels, a number of guided rides will be held for under 14s, women, and the over 50s which will set off from the Harrogate Cycle Festival. Anyone wishing to take part will need to register at the Specialized store located within the cycling festival before Sunday 30 April.
John McGivern, Harrogate Borough Council’s Leisure Development and Events Manager, said: Excitement is building for the arrival of the Tour de Yorkshire and there will certainly be a party atmosphere in the air over the bank holiday weekend.
The Harrogate Cycling Festival will provide a wide range of entertainment for everyone to enjoy – such as fantastic live bands and unique street performances. Whilst the Royal Pump Room Museum provides an interesting insight into cycling through the ages.
With the Harrogate district taking centre stage on Saturday 29 April, there is no better place to be to experience the drama and action of the Tour de Yorkshire.
Further information on the Tour de Yorkshire can be found at www.letour.yorkshire.com or www.visitharrogate.co.uk/tdy
The full schedule and race timings can be viewed online at letour.yorkshire.com/timings
