Hebden Bridge Festival

What? Listed as the fourth funkiest town in the world, and a haven for writers and authors, Hebden Bridge is a cultural gem reflected in the music, literature and comedy on show. Not a huge literary stream, but heh it's Hebden Bridge!

Who? Richard DeDomenici, David Armstrong, Mark Steel

When? June 26 – July 11, 2010

Where? Various venues around Hebden, west of Bradford. AA Route Planner | multimap

Festival Website: www.hebdenbridgeartsfestival.co.uk Tel: 01422 842684

Previous festivals:

HEBDEN BRIDGE TOURIST INFO

Known as the "Pennine Centre", Hebden Bridge takes its name from the packhorse bridge over Hebden Water. The town developed in late medieval times as a river-crossing and meeting point of packhorse routes from Halifax to Heptonstall, Burnley and Rochdale.

Textiles have been important in the Upper Calder Valley for centuries, but it was not until mechanisation and steam power were introduced from the late 18th century that Hebden Bridge began to grow significantly.

The arrival of the canal and railway attracted industry to the valley bottoms, but with limited flat land and a growing army of textile workers, dwellings were ingeniously built on the valley sides, giving the town its characteristic "double-decker" housing.

Hebden Bridge has seen great change in recent years. Traditional industries are no longer a major force, but buildings have been stone-cleaned and revitalised, the Rochdale Canal has been restored, and the locality has become a desirable place to live and visit.