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Slideshow: Beeston Festival 2008 highlights
The Beeston Festival has been hailed a success after thousands turned up for one of the city's most popular summer events.
Cross Flatts Park became a sea of colour as crowds flocked to the festival, where highlights included a new local talent stage run by the Old Chapel Rehearsal Studios in Holbeck.
Fire-eater Albert Alchemy and community dance project DAZL were among the performers on the main stage, while music was also provided on the family stage and the acoustic stage, which returned for a second year.
The theme of the 12th annual festival was Healthy Living, with visitors also encouraged to take part in activities including basketball, football and kabaddi – an Asian team sport – as well as cheerleading with the Beeston Blazers.
Coun Angela Gabriel (Lab, Beeston and Holbeck), chairman of the festival committee, said: "It was a fantastic day and even though the weather wasn't brilliant, loads of people still turned up.
"A lot of people who live in Beeston don't go on holidays and for them, the festival is their holiday.
"There are a lot of asylum seekers here, who struggle every day to live, and the festival is just an escape for them.
"This event brings the two communities of Beeston and Beeston Hill together and we forget all our troubles and have a good time."
The festival, which was officially opened by Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn and the deputy Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Gerald Wilkinson, started with a grand opening parade organised by African dance troupe Soul2Feet.
The colourful display was led by Beeston Action for Children and the winners of this year's Children of Achievement awards, which were handed out to pupils by local schools.
The event also included a marketplace with more than 100 stalls, the Leeds 11 FM Roadshow and a flower and produce competition, run by the Friends of Cross Flatts Park.
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