Second day ressurection for Geronimo Festival despite biblical rain

Even rain of Biblical proportions couldn't stop Geronimo Festival from a second day ressurection.
Geronimo Festival at Harewood House.  2 May 2016. Picture Bruce RollinsonGeronimo Festival at Harewood House.  2 May 2016. Picture Bruce Rollinson
Geronimo Festival at Harewood House. 2 May 2016. Picture Bruce Rollinson

The Harewood House hosted ‘Glasto for kids’ had a rough ride on its first outing this year, apparently suffering from its own popularity as festival goers complained bitterly of long queues for attractions.

Perhaps there were fewer guests on May’s Bank Holiday Monday, but there were few signs of the issues that were so well documented in the local and regional press.

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Aside from a period of inclement weather and the less than ideal placement of a stage that could have been bigger and more visible, the festival proved to be a fun-packed family day out.

Date: 1st May 2016, Picture James Hardisty.
Geronimo Festival Harewood House, Leeds. Pictured Willow Reveley-Cain, aged 7, from Hull.Date: 1st May 2016, Picture James Hardisty.
Geronimo Festival Harewood House, Leeds. Pictured Willow Reveley-Cain, aged 7, from Hull.
Date: 1st May 2016, Picture James Hardisty. Geronimo Festival Harewood House, Leeds. Pictured Willow Reveley-Cain, aged 7, from Hull.

Often these family-themed events live or die on the strength of their ‘special guests’ but in truth Geronimo, day two at least, could have succeeded without the likes of CBeebies stars Mr Bloom and Andy, from Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures.

The real beauty of the festival was the amount of interactive attractions.

Den building in the woods, which brought out the family competitive spirit, forming an orchestra with other families using instruments made from junk and some imaginative story telling inside a giant whale were the highlights.

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The Junk Orchestra was brilliantly presented and conducted by Saul Eisenberg who, with any justice, will end up on TV and share his love of musical recycling with millions.

Date: 1st May 2016, Picture James Hardisty.
Geronimo Festival Harewood House, Leeds. Pictured Willow Reveley-Cain, aged 7, from Hull.Date: 1st May 2016, Picture James Hardisty.
Geronimo Festival Harewood House, Leeds. Pictured Willow Reveley-Cain, aged 7, from Hull.
Date: 1st May 2016, Picture James Hardisty. Geronimo Festival Harewood House, Leeds. Pictured Willow Reveley-Cain, aged 7, from Hull.

Quite how he produced quite a catchy piece of music from a bunch of kids, parents and re-imagined bits of wood and metal is a mystery.

A ropes course for juniors and all-action displays from soldiers on motorcycles and horse riders dressed in medieval clobber also proved popular.

When the rain lashed down many sought refuge in tents that housed Professor Pumperknickel and Crocodile Joe.

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Pumperknickel delighted kids and adults with his comedy science show, with impressive experiments and chemical reactions.

Crocodile Joe showed off an array of reptiles and provided more in the way of conservationalist education than entertainment.

Fencing, beam balancing, puppetry and donkey rides filled in the gaps between shows – and the circus was said to be excellent, but sadly didn’t fit into what was already a long and intense day for us.

If Geronimo got it wrong on the Sunday, they got it very right the next day and hopefully next year will benefit from the 2016 feedback to create a more consistent experience for visitors.