Biggest and best festival!

Byline: Richard Porritt ,

The 13th Marsden Jazz Festival was another party in the Pennines.

Crowds flooded the village streets, to watch or even dance and sing along with the bands in the biggest festival yet.

On Saturday, the sun shone as the New Orleans-style Dave Brennan's Jubilee Band paraded through the streets, parasols held aloft.

Old and young alike jigged along with the music - and the older ones joined in with the beer breaks every so often, as well.

The fun started on Friday at a packed Parochial Hall, where Marsden's most famous son, poet Simon Armitage, charmed the crowds. He debuted what he called the ultimate Huddersfield poem, entitled To the Women of Merrie England Coffee Houses.

The Temperance Seven, who had hits in the 1960s, boasted a full house at the Mechanics Hall for a mix of 20s jazz and tomfoolery.

On Saturday, favourites included Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble.

The late-night party at the Mechanics included Plus Four, featuring Paul Bentley on vocals, who kept the village singing well into the early hours.

And yesterday the Good Vibrations Orchestra and the London Gospel Choir kept the party going right until the end.

Bernard and Rebecca Sweeney, from Golcar, have been to every festival except one since they started in 1991.

Bernard said: "I like the New Orleans-style jazz, so the parade they have is brilliant for me.

"We dip in and out of the festival. If the weather turns or we are not that interested in something we go home and come back later."

He added: "The atmosphere is always really good fun. I really enjoy it. It seems at lot of other people do as well, because it gets bigger every year."

The festival is run by volunteers. Peter Toon, who lives in Marsden but is originally from Manchester, has helped for three years.

"I just shake my collection buckets and listen to the music. It is brilliant fun," he said.

"Everyone has a great time. Even if they are not a big jazz fans they go in pubs for the atmosphere."

Festival committee member Albert Mason said: "It gets better every year. One of the most important things is that it gives young people a chance to play in front of an audience."