A number of high profile businesses have been announced as major sponsors of Stokesley’s Tour de Yorkshire celebrations.
Stokesley Parish Council and local businesses have teamed up to organise the market town’s free ‘TourFest’ festival, a day-long celebration featuring live music, rides, street entertainers, food stalls, a mobile bar, marquees on The Green, official merchandise stalls, a children’s treasure trail and parades along the High Street, as well as a large, outdoor screen showing the Tour de Yorkshire.
Organisers of TourFest are reliant on the support of businesses to fund the free event and a number of local companies have pledged their support as headline sponsors. These include Rainhams Industrial Services (RIS) who are sponsoring the big screen, Redmayne Bentley Stockbrokers, Henderson’s Insurance, North Yorkshire Physiotherapy, Analox, JFS and Associates, Platinum Tyres and Blue Giraffe Bicycles.
Local businessman Ian Blakemore, a parish councillor and one of the organisers of TourFest, said: “We’ve relied heavily on the goodwill and support of a tremendous team of local businesses and people who just want to make TourFest a great day out showcasing what our lovely market town has to offer. We are thrilled to have such loyal support from our sponsors who are helping us in all sorts of ways from providing their skills or specialist equipment free-of-charge to funding banners, leaflets, the programme and specific activities and we do still have a number of opportunities available for organisations to get involved and show their support too.”
Parish Councillor, Malcolm Smallwood, said: “Events such as TourFest take so much organising and the Parish Council is working hard to bring the town together for Tour de Yorkshire. Everyone is talking about it and it’s not just going to be a great day for cycling enthusiasts but also for people who want to enjoy a fun day out filled with all sorts of activities. We also hope it’ll show people from other areas what a thriving town Stokesley is so that they come back to visit us.”
Last month, TourFest announced its line-up for the live music stages which will be headlined by world-famous saxophonist Snake Davis, who has played all over the world with the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, M People, James Brown and Ray Charles. Other artists confirmed include the Colin Holt Band, singer and guitarist Val Boyers, rising local star Amelia Coburn, Beautiful South and Housemartins’ tribute ‘Old Red Eyes’ Andy Johnson, Elaine Palmer, Doctor Brown and the BBC Young Musician of the Year Alexander Bone and his band. *
The parish council, local community and businesses are well underway with their preparations for the festival-style day which will celebrate the Tour de Yorkshire which is expected to pass through Stokesley just before noon on the final day, Sunday May 1st, after setting off from Middlesbrough. The High Street will be closed to traffic for the whole day on Sunday May 1st with extensive car parking available on the Showfield.
Stokesley Parish Council has also launched a competition for local businesses in the run up to ‘Stokesley TourFest’. Businesses are already taking part in a special window-dressing competition in an attempt to make Stokesley the best dressed town on the Tour de Yorkshire route.
The final day of the Tour de Yorkshire will see cyclists take a gruelling 123-mile route starting in Middlesbrough and passing through North Yorkshire, before finishing in Scarborough.
A number of sponsorship opportunities are still available and anyone interested can contact stokesleypc@gmail.com or Ian Blakemore on 07900 995964.
* The full line-up is as follows: –
Chill-out Tent on West Green
Val Boyers
Amelia Coburn
‘Old Red Eyes’ Andy Johnson
Al Aitchison
Davoc Brady
Acoustic Brew
Elaine Palmer
Main Stage on The Plain
Doctor Brown
Bonzo Dog Ends
The Sticklebacks
Alexander Bone and Band
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Colin Holt and Snake Davis