It’s November and so, it’s festival month in Otley with four major happenings taking place.

First up is Town Poet Matthew Hedley Stoppard’s book launch The Garland King. Matthew attempted a launch of this new tome at the end of last year but his plans were blighted by two successive lockdowns and so he goes again this month. The launch of the collection – described as “singular, exciting, wry and anarchic – working-class history meets modern anxiety” – is accompanied by a mini Folk Review Festival, featuring acclaimed singer Stephanie Hladowski, BBC Folk Award-nominated duo Louis Campbell and Owen Spafford, and Border Morris side Wharfedale Wayzgoose.
Friday November 12 at 7pm. See here for more

Next comes the brilliant Otley Science Festival, launched on November 15 with Marty Jopson’s Mobile Teardown and concluding on Saturday November 20 with Professor Richard Wiseman’s: The Luck Factor: Discover the science of luck and how to become luckier. In between there will be a Science Café, a Science Quiz, a Science Festival and all manner of talks, including one by British space exploration expert Libby Jackson called Life in Space: The truth is up there
Monday November 15-Saturday November 20. See here for the full programme

Friday November 16 sees the return of the Otley Beer Festival. Instead of being in the static venue of Otley Rugby Club, this year the festival will be held in the town’s various pubs and bars ‘from opening time until the beer runs out’! Even by Otley standards, that could be some session!
Friday November 26. See here for more

Finally the month ends with… the start of the Christmas Season. Saturday November 27 sees Santa’s Grotto, run by Otley Lions, beginning at Stephen Smith’s Garden Centre. It will be held every Saturday and Sunday from the last weekend in November until December 19. A visit costs £6 per child. The following Monday (November 29), we have the launch of this year’s Visit Otley Christmas Film and a low-key Christmas Lights Switch On that will really get the festive season on its way.