Contrary Life watched the World Record breaking mass pie fight at Another Fine Fest yesterday…
Another Fine Fest is held annually in Ulverston, the home of Stan Laurel, to celebrate the slapstick comedian’s birthday and the town’s festive nature.
And Ulverston really does like its festivals. Every year there are celebrations for everything from flags, walking, and traditional folk, to Dickens, fashion and dance. So we thought it was time to head along and join in the fun.
This year’s festival kicked off with an attempt to break the world record for a mass pie fight. There was quite a wait as the participants were carefully counted into the pie fight arena.
A cheer went up as the count came in to confirm it was a record-breaking number, then nervous anticipation of the fight began. Many participants came prepared with goggles, and the youngest of the pie fighters looked eager to start splatting.
For a frantic minute, Ford Park was a mass of flying foam and limbs. Then it was all over and another cheer went up as the record was broken!
After the exciting start, we ambled into the town centre to catch some more slapstick-themed entertainment.
Walking around we spied graffiti artists busy at work on wall murals and window artists busy decorating the town’s shops and cafes. Lamp posts and other bits of street furniture were already adorned with wool, courtesy of some yarn bombers.
There were street performers in the form of Uncle Tacko’s Flea Circus, a stilt walker, and a man with some kind of flying beetle contraption.
However, the live music seemed to be the main draw of the day. Ulverston’s plethora of pubs acted as the venues. Not to mention an outdoor stage in Market Cross, and another sandwiched in-between the Coronation Hall and the Laurel and Hardy Museum.
There were plenty of refreshments available without having to queue for food, which is always a bonus at festivals. Overall, the atmosphere in the day seemed very relaxed and friendly, with plenty to do for a few hours of free fun.
We are already planning to return to Ulverston next month for the Retro Rendezvous festival.
More images from Another Fine Fest can be found on our Pinterest board.