Village Chooses Time Travel
On a pleasant autumn evening back in September, the residents of Matlock Bath gathered in the Derwent Gardens to see the parade of illuminated boats, a spectacle which has been part of our village heritage for over 100 years. The boat builders who work hard through the summer to prepare their creations kindly rowed them especially for us. In return, the villagers voted for their favourite boat. In total, 133 votes were cast by the village on the evening. The event was followed by a barbeque served by The Temple and funded by the Parish Council.
On Sunday night the results were announced at the Matlock Bath Illuminations. The prizes presented by Chair of the Activities Committee Lorraine Keeble were as follows:
First prize – a meal for 2 at Hodgkinson’s Hotel – ‘Dr Who’ created by Isobell Flavell
Second prize – a meal for 2 at the Raft Restaurant – ‘Star Wars’ created by The Motley Bunch
Third prize – a meal for 2 at The Balti – ‘Mickey’ created by Ian Page
Other boat builders did not go away empty handed, each receiving a bottle of wine with strict instructions not to open it until after rowing was completed for the evening.
Before the prizes were announced, Chair of the Parish Council Peter Baranek after welcoming everyone to the village said that ‘the illuminated boats are central to the illuminations. They are unique to Matlock Bath and have been the common thread of the event throughout its long history. The Parish Council will continue to support the work of this dedicated group of volunteers in any way it can to help keep the tradition alive. These prizes are a token of our appreciation’.
The Parish Council are grateful for the sponsorship of the prizes provided by Hodgkinsons Hotel, The Fishpond and Matlock Bath Balti.
Pictures of the winning boats are available here.
For further information, contact the clerk.