Last updated at 19:52, Thursday, 28 June 2012

Last week’s torrential rain did not stop midsummer festival events in Cockermouth going ahead.

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The town’s annual Solstice Picnic was due to take place in the Memorial Gardens last Thursday but was switched to Christ Church because of the weather.

More than 200 people packed into the church to enjoy the indoor picnic.

Bob Pritchard, part of the festival organising committee, said: “We were very pleased with Christ Church as an alternative venue. The space we had worked really well.”

Children made bunting and listened to stories before being treated to a visit by Ollie the Olympic giant.

That was then followed by performances from the Kirkgate Youth Theatre and group Sing Owt.

The festival’s Cockermouth Live! event on Saturday was also hit by poor weather, with two outdoor stages in the Memorial Gardens unable to go ahead.

Organisers held an emergency meeting on Saturday morning when high river levels caused concern, but decided to go ahead with performances at indoor venues after receiving assurances that the water was finally dropping.

Acoustic sets, traditional tunes and a raucous ceilidh brought the festival to a close in impressive style.

The day began with a performance by the Cockermouth Community Band, a scratch band made up of local people who had been rehearsing for weeks.

It ended with a noisy foot stamping gig in the Kirkgate Centre with the Monster Ceilidh Band, who had already got the crowds buzzing with a family set in the afternoon.

One of the day’s highlights was the Cockermouth Ukulele Players, a group of 20 musicians with a repertoire which ranged from Jungle Book tunes to Beatles classics. People were queuing out of the door of the United Reformed Church to hear them play.

It was standing room only at many of the venues.

Organiser Kathy Hick said: “We had a great selection of bands booked so we were devastated that we had to cancel those who were due to appear in Memorial Gardens.

“But maybe the weather worked in our favour as so many people came in from the rain to hear our bands play. Thanks so much to all our performers and volunteers, as the midsummer festival and Cockermouth Live! wouldn’t happen without them.”

First published at 19:24, Thursday, 28 June 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk