Tideswell Wakes is underway yet again. The weeklong festival includes Well dressings, and Carnival, Wakes Royalty, Funfair, Decorated streets and houses is not to be missed if you have the opportunity to Visit Tideswell in the week between the 22nd of June and the 30th.
Tideswell Welldressings
Over the years Tideswell has produced fantastic well Dressings. The Main Well, situated in Fountain Square is always a joy to behold. This years is no different, in fact it’s one of the best Wells I have seen in a long time.
Tideswell Welldressings
Of course there are also three other smaller wells too. Done by the Scouts, Guides and Tideswell School. Wander around the village, they are not hard to find.
See Tideswell’s Decorated Houses and Streets
Part of the revelry of Wakes week is decorating your house and Garden. In years gone by this was hugely popular with almost every house sporting some form of decoration. This year has seen a revival of decorated houses with more houses sporting some form of decoration. Houses often pick a theme or are part of a street team who all collaborate.
Bunting hangs across the streets, which is something I really do love.
So far, the decorations seem back in vogue, and certainly a lot more houses are displaying the bunting. Scarecrows are the new big thing, and a stroll around the village will help you find some fab, and some freaky. Over the years there have been some fantastic efforts. Notable streets to make sure you visit are, Fountain Street, Market Square and Lower Terrace Rd. You can always rely on these streets do do something eye-catching, and interactive.
House Decoration is popular during Tideswell Wakes Week
Big Saturday (Big Satd’y)
The Highlight of the week is most definitely Big Sat’dy. Big Saturday is always on the last Saturday in June. There is a Carnival procession that parades the full length of the village. Lots of people make or hire costumes and dress up as their favourite characters or make satirical comment on current affairs. It’s always great fun trying to guess those in disguise and the whole event is an amateur photographers dream.
Tidza folk send up the Big Society
The Wakes Committee
This year the village has a brand new Wakes Committee. The old guard decided to step aside,having worked hard for many years. This created the opportunity for Wakes committee elections. This years’ Committee, are mostly known for dressing up in the parades, but now they have stepped up to the plate and taken on the responsibility of running the whole show. The job of organising Tideswell Wakes is no small feat, and those who have been involved in organising a week long series of events know what a very hard and sometimes thankless task it can be. However, it looks as though this years bunch have made a great starts so far. Most of the Wakes Committee are under 40, and they have brought some new ideas into play and they have also revived a few old ones.
Digital Tideswell Wakes Updates
This year Tideswell has really gone digital, the wakes Committee have set up a Website and a Facebook page, for people to comment, and share their experiences. People can get updates via Twitter, which is a massively useful tool for spreading the word to people from outside the village who might be looking to visit the Peak District, but may have not heard about Tideswell Wakes. I’d urge everyone who cares about or who has visited Tideswell and Experienced Wakes to get on Twitter and tweet, tell your friends and family about Wakes week and Big Satd’y.
Follow Tideswell Wakes via Social Media
- Tideswell Wakes Webpage
- Tideswell Wakes Festivities Facebook Page
- Follow @TideswellWakes on Twitter.
All publicity will help the Village.
Get thee sens there!
Get to Tideswell for Wakes, you really wont regret it, there are plenty of local shops and some decent pubs too.
Chesterfield to Tideswell
Sheffield to Tideswell
Manchester to Tideswell
Lot’s of lovely walks, and of course the amazing Church. You can get a cheap brew at the Methodist Chapel whlst looking at the artwork. What more to you want? Get thee Sens There!
Tideswellman - Derbyshire Blogger & Fellrunner 