THE sun shone on Craven as people celebrated St George's Day at the weekend.

On Sunday afternoon in Skipton, approximately 80 young people and leaders from South Craven District Scouts marched along Newmarket Street to Holy Trinity Church at the top of the High Street.

The band from 1st Kildwick and Farnhill Scout Band played while scout groups from Skipton, Grassington, Cross Hills and Glusburn marched prior to a Holy Trinity service at 3pm.

"It was a very successful parade," said Andy Stronach, parade organiser and the South Craven District Explorers Scout Commissioner. "The sun was shining and the day was a great advert for scouting."

Helped by brilliant sunshine, there was a festive atmosphere when Ingleborough Scouts celebrated St George’s Day in Settle on Sunday.

Parade master Carl Unsworth led the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and their leaders around the primary school grounds to the sound of bugles and the beat of the Kildwick and Farnhill Scout Band drums.

Near the end of the route the salute was taken by the county representative Dennis Foster, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award adviser for North Yorkshire Scouts, accompanied by the Settle mayor an chairman of the rotary club.

Led by the Rev Stephen Dawson, the proceedings started with the presentation of flags from each of the Settle and Ingleton sections.

This was followed by a poem about a dragon read by Ingleton assistant Cub leader, Emily Coates, which set the scene for the Explorers to entertain everyone with an amusing play telling the fictional story, with a modern-day take, of St George and the Dragon.

The band led the parade around the sports field and then the minister organised a quiz and gave a talk.

The Renewal of Promises was led by Beaver leader, Jackie Rowe, assistant district commissioner for Cubs, Cathy Tazzyman, and county representative, Dennis Foster.

Top sectional awards were then presented to several youth members and a Certificate of Appreciation awarded to Sue Haddrill in recognition of her outstanding leadership as district commissioner over the last ten years.

People packed Barnoldswick’s Town Square on Saturday for the annual St George’s Day Festival.

Opening the event, Barnoldswick Brass Band serenaded the crowd in sparkling spring sunshine and then local singers entertaining the crowd included Barnoldswick’s community choir, Border Harmony, and young singer-songwriters Mollie Jesson, Brooke Phipps, Ellie Carpendale and Amy Colvin, who were joined by Andy Byrne on stage, with James Wilson compering.

Imogen Gibson’s dance school provided a dancing display on the town square.

Barnoldswick in Bloom provided hands-on activities creating take-home ‘Bug Beds’ and a ‘Bug Hotel’ with the support of local companies Premier Polytunnels and Leggett and Platt.

Children also sowed sunflower seeds as part of the bloom team’s pollinator programme, ‘Putting the ‘Bee’ back in Barnoldswick’.

Adventurous attendees handled snakes, reptiles, owls and hawks and there were free donkey rides for smaller visitors and fairground rides for young and old.

“It was another cracking St George’s Day event,” said town councillor David Whipp. “A very good day was had by all and we were once again blessed with brilliant weather.”