I'm over the moon that this year the Cliffhanger Festival (http://www.cliff-hanger.co.uk/) is going to be held in Millhouses Park, as this park was my old stomping ground in the seventies when I was a lass so for me it has many fond memories. I used to play tennis on the tennis courts, giant checkers on the giant checker board, and the lido was basically the hub of all Sheffield activity for teenagers on sunny days.

Besides loving Millhouses Park, I also love Cliffhanger Festival, which was so well organised last year and was a success despite the weather. For us it was a family day out of three generations including my tot grandson, and we intend to do the same family day out this year. What's more, it's got the huge environmental advantage of no official car parking, thus encouraging Sheffielders to show some positive action to help reduce our carbon footprint by leaving the car at home and using public transport, cycling or walking. We will be walking from Woodseats.

One thing I noticed about Cliffhanger last year after it was staged in Graves Park, was how clean the park was afterwards, and I'm sure it will be the same for Millhouses Park. What can be better encouragement for the health and well being of Sheffield people than a festival which celebrates adventure sports and the outdoors.

Besides this, last year there was a fantastic art exhibition at which the celebrated pillar of the climbing community, artist, filmmaker and writer Jim Curran (http://www.jimcurran.co.uk/) exhibited, along with many other noteworthy and successful artists and photographers. All the exhibitors were open and friendly, talking to the general public about their work, and I understand this hugely popular art exhibition will be repeated at Millhouses Park this year. Brilliant!

I think Sheffield is really lucky to have such a great festival on our doorstep...but what does everyone else think? :)

The iron smelting sounds interesting, not your usual festival event -

http://www.cliff-hanger.co.uk/whatson/42/iron-smelting-free

The iron smelting sounds interesting, not your usual festival event -

http://www.cliff-hanger.co.uk/whatson/42/iron-smelting-free

Absolutely, Alastair, a totally inspired choice for a festival. But then, I believe that Cliffhanger is not just any old festival. The idea of a festival may to some conjure up various negative associations, but this is an event promoting physical and mental health through sporting activity, culture and knowledge.

The iron smelting sounds interesting, not your usual festival event -

http://www.cliff-hanger.co.uk/whatson/42/iron-smelting-free

As a member of the much reduced Metallurgical clan of this area I welcome such an event. Show everyone what irony really means :hihi:

Richard

Yeah it's a festival of outdoor sports and activities, not some druggy rock festival, just in case anyone gets the wrong idea. It celebrates the fact that Sheffield is, whether people are aware or not, a mecca for climbers, mountain bikers, walkers, cavers, orienteers and general lovers of the outdoors. All cos it's England's greenest city (ie more trees per head of population than any other) and is actually in the foothills of the Pennines, placing prime hill country within spitting distance.
I'll be there. I think it's great that the best way to get there is gonna be by public transport or, even better, by bike! Of course, people will be able to drive, but there's that many buses up Abbeydale Rd from town, why bother?
Despite the crap weather last year (which was unlucky), I thought it was a fine day out. Given good weather, it'll be brilliant!

Yup, easy to get to - buses 3/4/97/98/218 stop outside the park, bus 293 passes about 5 minutes walk away, and Dore rail station is about a 5 minute bus ride away.

And it will feature a beer festival tent with locally brewed beer...

Yup, easy to get to - buses 3/4/97/98/218 stop outside the park, bus 293 passes about 5 minutes walk away, and Dore rail station is about a 5 minute bus ride away.

And it will feature a beer festival tent with locally brewed beer...

I think having a CAMRA beer festival there is a great idea. We go to beer festivals regularly and I have never seen one person drunk or badly behaved. I think the idea is to demonstrate how much you appreciate quality beer whilst staying corpus mentis. Modern pubs, however, are designed so that people stand up and thus drink quickly as they have to hold their pint, which is one of the reasons there is so much trouble on the drinking strips of major inner city centres. Does anyone agree with that?

Sheffield has some great community festivals too.
Looking forward to Heeley, Peace in the park, Sharrow, cliffhanger and the Abbeyfield one.

lets hope its better weather than last year

The Big Dress Festival comes to Endcliffe Park, Hunters bar next weekend - 8th - 12th May. Music, Arts, Debates, Campaigns all focussed around the injustices in the garment industry. Most of it's free!

I've just looked at the link to this event and think it looks great. I heard this morning that residents of Millhouses are trying to get this event stopped (or at least moved back to Graves Park) due to increased noise, traffic, etc.

As I live only a 100 yards or so from the park, I really can't see what all the fuss is about. Most of the people in this area (unfortunately not me though:mad:) have driveways and garages, so I can't see how they'd be worried about cars parking outside their house.

As for the noise - can't see it myself. We hear ambulances, trains, HGVs on a regular basis, which is pretty par for the course when you live so close to one of the major roads in/out of the city.

I just wanted to say that I really welcome this event (and no doubt my 9 year old son will too) and that not everyone round here is opposed to this.

I thought Millhouses had a massive car park too. Looking forward to it!

Don't forget South Yorkshire Pride - Sheffield 2008 (http://www.southyorkshirepride.co.uk/site/)is in Cemetery Park, Montague Street (off Cemetery Road) is happening on the 7th June.

All welcome!

I've just looked at the link to this event and think it looks great. I heard this morning that residents of Millhouses are trying to get this event stopped (or at least moved back to Graves Park) due to increased noise, traffic, etc.


Realy, I don't believe it, are they related to the "we don't want a fair in Endciffe park 'cause it causes poor people to come into the area and rob us" brigade ?

Realy, I don't believe it, are they related to the "we don't want a fair in Endciffe park 'cause it causes poor people to come into the area and rob us" brigade ?

Yes, apparently everyone in Millhouses (except me!) is up in arms about it. There's a debate on Radio Sheffield at the moment about it too.

what a lame excuse these nimby idiots have

Realy, I don't believe it, are they related to the "we don't want a fair in Endciffe park 'cause it causes poor people to come into the area and rob us" brigade ?

In all fairness, I used to live at the top of Endcliffe Park and never had any problems with anti-social behaviour, litter or vandalism. Until the week of the fair; car keyed, beer cans in front garden and some chavvy sort threatening to shoot me when I asked him to turn his gangstar rap off (at 1am on a Sunday night/Monday morning). Not to mention the awful music being played full volume whenever it was open (and frequently when it wasn't). One thing I won't miss since moving.

I think having a CAMRA beer festival there is a great idea. We go to beer festivals regularly and I have never seen one person drunk or badly behaved. I think the idea is to demonstrate how much you appreciate quality beer whilst staying corpus mentis. Modern pubs, however, are designed so that people stand up and thus drink quickly as they have to hold their pint, which is one of the reasons there is so much trouble on the drinking strips of major inner city centres. Does anyone agree with that?

A bit troubled about a real ale festival. I love real ale, but it does take careful handling. The barrels need several days to settle and need temperature control. Not sure that it will be available in a park.

I hope folks aren't subjected to cloudy and flat "re-rack". It could put folk off real ale rather than promoting it.

In all fairness, I used to live at the top of Endcliffe Park and never had any problems with anti-social behaviour, litter or vandalism. Until the week of the fair; car keyed, beer cans in front garden and some chavvy sort threatening to shoot me when I asked him to turn his gangstar rap off (at 1am on a Sunday night/Monday morning). Not to mention the awful music being played full volume whenever it was open (and frequently when it wasn't). One thing I won't miss since moving.

I just hope that the profits from the festival are put into the park and not into the pockets of promoters. This has been a problem with events in Sheffield Parks in the past.
After the event the parks own budget gets used to clear up the mess and repair the tyre tracks caused by lorries carrying fairground rides.

Just take a look at Graves Park. The Highland Fling was held there on Monday.

We will be walking from Woodseats.


Hope you'll be going to Cliffhanger on Saturday 12th - so that you can come to Woodseats Festival http://www.woodseatsfestival.org.ukon Sunday 13th! :)
We have a free climbing wall too! :D

Yes, apparently everyone in Millhouses (except me!) is up in arms about it. There's a debate on Radio Sheffield at the moment about it too.

not in my back yard briggade milhouses park used to have a fantastic fair but it got stopped seems like residents want this hapen again .

In all fairness, I used to live at the top of Endcliffe Park and never had any problems with anti-social behaviour, litter or vandalism. Until the week of the fair; car keyed, beer cans in front garden and some chavvy sort threatening to shoot me when I asked him to turn his gangstar rap off (at 1am on a Sunday night/Monday morning). Not to mention the awful music being played full volume whenever it was open (and frequently when it wasn't). One thing I won't miss since moving.

whats wrong with music a fair gives atmosphere to a dull so called upper class area blame the fair briggade out in force again ?

I just hope that the profits from the festival are put into the park and not into the pockets of promoters. This has been a problem with events in Sheffield Parks in the past.
After the event the parks own budget gets used to clear up the mess and repair the tyre tracks caused by lorries carrying fairground rides.

Just take a look at Graves Park. The Highland Fling was held there on Monday.

i think u will find that most fairground organisers will pay for the ground if its damaged .

whats wrong with music a fair gives atmosphere to a dull so called upper class area blame the fair briggade out in force again ?

The Endcliffe area isn't at all dull! And there's some gorgeous houses facing the park :love:

The Endcliffe area isn't at all dull! And there's some gorgeous houses facing the park :love:

i used to live round there the area has become yuppy fied and the mentality of not in my back yard comes to mind.

I doubt the Cliffhanger festival makes any big profits. Au contraire, I think the weather last year meant it made a loss!

The Cliffhanger beer festival is being run by Sheffield CAMRA, so I'm sure they'll do everything they can to ensure the ale is in decent nick. I appreciate it's hard to do in a tent on a hot day though but hey, ya gotta try, encha?

i think u will find that most fairground organisers will pay for the ground if its damaged .

Credit where it is due. I am told that the deer park has indeed been rectified to a major extent.

I am very much in favour of events being held in the parks. Before Graves Park became Graves Park the land owners often hosted events for the less well off or more often for the employees of the man in the big house.

Major problem today is soil compaction due to large vehicles on the grass. Recently 200 tons of sand were applied to the deer park and compressed air blown into the ground to relieve this problem.

This type of remedial work should be born in mind. It is great to have events in the park. Even better if they are free to get in, but ow't is better than now't as they say. Just make sure the organisers pay something into the park for its maintenance.

A bit troubled about a real ale festival. I love real ale, but it does take careful handling.

And who better to handle it than CAMRA?! :hihi:

It'll be great, tonkatoy, we'll see you at the bar :)

Hope you'll be going to Cliffhanger on Saturday 12th

Yes, going to Cliffhanger, this is an absolutely superb festival; I've been asked to write articles for the mags reporting on it :)


- so that you can come to Woodseats Festival http://www.woodseatsfestival.org.ukon Sunday 13th! :)
We have a free climbing wall too! :D

Fantastic! Of course we will come! :) Sounds good :)


I just hope that the profits from the festival are put into the park and not into the pockets of promoters.

To be fair, the promoter of the festival is Heason Events, an independent events management company who are doing a heck of a lot for Sheffield because they believe that Sheffield deserves to have quality festivals. They also do the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival ShAFF (http://www.shaff.co.uk/), and Cliffhanger outdoor pursuits festival too, which promotes healthy living and sporting activity for youngsters and oldsters alike! This is not some money grubbing large conglomerate...check out their site here (http://www.heason.net/)if you want to see for yourself!

...and also I believe that the event is actually organised by our own council.