Overview
- The festival opened with an evening ceremony on The Broadway featuring the Houghton Pipe Band, Zazz dancers, The Voice of Houghton and the Houghton Feast Children’s Choir, capped by an illuminations switch-on by the mayor.
- Murphy’s Funfairs has set up at Houghton Rectory Playing Field and the fairground attractions are running each evening from 6pm.
- The traditional ox roast will be served at midday in the grounds of The Old Rectory, followed by a community carnival parade along Newbottle Street to The Broadway.
- Organisers published a full list of traffic measures that include no-loading restrictions on key streets and full closures on Newbottle Street and The Broadway with diversion routes via the A182 and A1052 to manage crowds.
- The Feast is a centuries-old local tradition traced to Rector Bernard Gilpin and council leaders say the event supports heritage, community identity and local tourism.