Wakefield MAG attended this years Yorkshire Pudding Rally en-mass, with nearly twenty of us descending on site on the Thursday to help with the event set-up. We started around 09:30 and our numerous duties involved stage set-up, collecting firewood from Rotherham for the bonfires, site marking, toilet positioning, road sign-age, and numerous other tasks. We were all finished by tea time, and the site was ready to accept happy rally goers first thing in the morning. But before that, we had a barbecue and lots of beers to consume at the Thursday night marshals only 'party'.
Friday morning saw the first arrival at 09:00, even though the site doesn't officially open until 12:00. Following that, folks just kept coming, keeping the gate marshals very busy, and in no time, the site was remarkably full.
Two bands played Friday night, both of which were pretty good, with Bad Dog playing first (on the beautifully level stage we erected !!!!), followed by Netherworld (at least they were when we booked them, they had a name change in-between).
Saturday saw the first of the entertainment kick-off at 10:30, with the guided ride-out around the Peak District, led by MAP MD Ali Preston, and other marshals from Huddersfield MAG. Next on the packed entertainment schedule was the aptly titled, Smacked Arse Comedy Club in the marquee, whilst just outside was held the bike show, sponsored by Back Street Heroes magazine.
A large proportion of the Wakefield MAG contingent missed both however, as we opted to venture into Chapeltown, a short walk from site, to sample many of the fine real ales in the Commercial Inn, together with other local hostelries. The sun was shining, the beer was flowing and a good time was had by all, as they say.
Saturday evening had 3 bands playing in the marquee, Fireball, playing classic heavy rock tracks, followed by the rockabilly band, Band from County Hell.
Headlining that evening was Big Day, and they certainly made most peoples day as they were absolutely brilliant. Big Day do classic rock tracks but also lots of modern stuff from the likes of Snow Patrol, James and the Stereophonics (their rendition of Dakota was awesome). They headlined at the Farmyard Party in 2009, and went down at storm there, hence the rebooking. Let's hope this is a regular repeat feature !!!!!
All good things must come to an end unfortunately and before we knew it, we were packing up after another brilliant Yorkshire Pudding Rally. The only thing that didn't work this year was the bonfire on Friday night and Saturday night, which we couldn't light as some folks had camped too close and wouldn't move their tents !!!! What that unfortunately meant, was that all the several tons of wood we had moved onto site, had to be moved off again, by the weary take-down marshals !!!!
Quite amazingly also, was for the seventh year running, the weekend of the YPR remained warm and dry. Surely some kind of MAG record !!!! (OK, it sort of did rain last year, but only overnight when everyone was asleep, so technically it doesn't count !!!!)
Feedback following the event has all been entirely positive, and everyone seems to have had a belting time !!!
I'll let you know what the event raised once all the bills have been paid and the sums done, but with around 1,500 folks on-site, it should be a most respectable amount.
A huge thanks to the many Wakefield MAG members who helped with the site set-up, marshalling the event over the weekend, and the site take-down, as it couldn't have run without your heroic and most splendid efforts.
