The Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival is a legend in its own lifetime!
2017 will be the 31st Festival and we need your help to make it the best finale yet!

The history
The legend of Moonraking in Slaithwaite (known locally as Slawit) goes back a long way, with library archives dating back 150 years. It is said that local people hid contraband in the canal. One night they were, very nearly caught. When the customs men asked what they were doing, they pretended the moon had fallen in and they were raking her out. Thinking how silly they were, the customs men rode away laughing, leaving the locals to their dodgy dealings!

What happens?
Every two years we float the lantern moon along the canal, to the centre of the village, where she is lifted up high, to music and cheers and a firework spectacular. After raking the beautiful moon lantern from the canal, a procession of 100’s of community made candle lit lanterns and music bands, move slowly around the village along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and up onto the hillside streets.
The festival is a truly community event. A week-long celebration of community and creativity. We have over 800 hundred attendances at lantern-making workshops, and a fringe of story-telling, theatre performances and family workshops and music events.

Who organises it?
Slaithaite Moonraking Festival is a charity with a team of volunteers who organise the festival and is overseen by our charity trustees/ The festival takes two years to plan and raise funds. Although managed by a voluntary team, we believe strongly in supporting artists by paying them properly for their time, skills and responsibility for 800 workshops attendances.

Our fund target
Grown from small family event, the festival attracts around 3,500 visitors
We don't charge for the finale so please consider gifting a firework or few through your donation and help us raise the Moon to the sky with all the spectacular drama that everyone loves in the finale.