Yes, we do mean that Dewsbury - the one that's about as far from the sea as you can get in the UK! But on Saturday August 26 and Sunday August 27 all the fun of the seaside comes to this West Yorkshire town. And the beach is just the start! If you tire of building sandcastles there are donkey rides, roundabouts and beach entertainers including Mr Punch and Judy, his ever suffering wife. You can show off your knobbly knees, be a Glamorous Granny or take part in a Tug Of War.
 | | Going to the coast? 'Oh, no, you don't!' |
This is not so surprising when you discover that where Dewsbury led, Blackpool followed. Dewsbury on Sea started in 1997 after Town Crier John Midgeley discovered that the machinery which put the names of towns through seaside rock was invented in Dewsbury! And Blackpool bought it's very first lights from nearby Heckmondwike. In the first few years four tons of sand were placed outside the Town Hall. However, the beach was moved first to the centre of Dewsbury Market and then to Foundry Street. They can't do this in Scarborough! The new location meant that 12 tons of sand could be used which made a much bigger beach. But what about the prom? In 2005 a 'pier' was provided on Longcauseway and Dewsbury folk remember this is the very place where young people would meet and 'promenade' up and down, taking the air and making new friends. Meanwhile, on the Saturday, the Dewsbury Gala will be taking place over at Crow Nest Park. This will feature lots of 'have-a-go' sport as well as all the usual gala attractions. This is the second half of this year's Dewsbury Feast which kicks off on Friday 25 August with the Flower Vegetable and Handicraft Show. Dewsbury Feast was traditionally the time when the mills closed down in the summer. By bringing back the old name the organisers of this year's events hope to add to the holiday feeling in the town.
And, while Dewsbury might be much more landlocked than Skegness, it's likely to be a lot less bracing whatever the Bank Holiday weather. | 
