Events in the North East and some national.
Shot at the skateboard park under the five bridges roundabout, Central Gateshead.
This was the 2nd annual meeting held in memory of a chap who owned a skateboard shop who died of a heart attack at the age of 36yrs. A nice turn out and a very nice gesture.
Last year the fair was called the “Frost Fair” and was knee deep in snow that fell early in the season.
This year the organisers didn’t want to take any chances so they scaled the event down and held it inside the Gateshead Heritage Centre at St.Mary’s Church.
The problem is they didn’t make it obvious to visitors where the event was actually being held and a lot of people, me included, were walking around the outside of the Sage, where it was held last year, looking for the stalls.
I was asked by a number of people where the event was as they couldn’t find the stalls and I asked the security person on duty and he directed us to the inside of the church.
A beautiful setting for the event and a lot warmer. However I have no doubt that numbers will have been down due to the downscaling and lack of directions for the public.
The Reindeer were a hit again this year, even though they had been cut back to just 3 animals.
The image that Gateshead council used to promote the event on their FaceBook Page did nothing to inspire people either. It looked as if they had got someone with a point and shoot compact to go out to a pen somewhere and grab a quick shot. It was dull and lifeless. Come on Gateshead Council make a bit of an effort! I even tried to supply you with an image you could have used FOC but nobody in the Communications department could do anything as the one person who deals with it was off!
Anyway, below are some shots of the event, let’s hope the Enchanted Parks at Saltwell is a little more inspiring.
What would normally be a great day, for participants and spectators alike, has been overshadowed by the deaths of 4 male runners today.
The temperatures and sunshine are being attributed as the only explanation as to why these men died.
It is a very sad loss and my thoughts go out to their families and friends.
I must admit that today was the busiest I have ever seen the emergency services along the course in the years I have covered this event. Only a few years ago the event was moved to a later date in the year to avoid the heat after runners had died or collapsed with exhaustion. Maybe we will see this event moved further back still, into October maybe.
I captured one runner, Nicholas Longworth, just after he had come across the Tyne Bridge, in last position, and was amazed that he was running in a full suit of medieval armour! He looked positively worn out and seemed as if he was ready to give up. I have checked the official BUPA website to see if he made it to the finish but there is no record for him in the list of finished runners.
I have found him on Facebook and have sent him a message to make sure he is ok, if and when I hear from him I will update this post.
Update: Nicholas has posted on his Facebook page that he did 3 hours and 5 and a bit miles. He’s feeling a bit sore and bruised but in good spirits.
He plans to do it again next year with a walking buddy to feed him along the route.
I for one look forward to seeing him succeed next year and will certainly make a donation to his chosen fund, I might even walk the course with him and catalogue his progress, if he’ll let me.
All the best Nicholas and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Nicholas Longworth Bupa Great North Run 2011
Once again the ¡VAMOS! festival brought the “Picnic in the Park” to Saltwell Park, Gateshead.
The weather was perfect for the event with broken cloud and sunshine all day long and an atmosphere that was electric.
The acts and fun came thick and fast with DJ’s Henry Montunno and Alx Alfaro, The Sage Gateshead’s Youth Ensemble “Rhythm Nation”, Paco Bethencourt, Mary Adine Bethencourt and Lluis Lleo Oller Gallegos.
DJ Montunno gave a fun for all Salsa dance class and a very entertaining “pass the baton” game set to some great Latin American sounds.
The very talented Paco Bethencourt, Mary Adine Bethencourt and Lluis Lleo Oller Gallegos held a Flamenco dance workshop that had everybody up and getting involved. After this they invited the children in the audience to come and play some instruments with them and a chance to sing with Mary.
Food was provided and cooked on-site by McKenna’s Restaurant of Newcastle. I tried the Paella and have to say it was one of the best I have ever tasted in this country.
Another great success for the ¡VAMOS! team who put their heart and soul into this festival and arrange a whole series of fantastic events around the region.
The next event I will be attending will be “Roots Rhythm” on Thursday 7th July 19:30 – Midnight at the Cumberland Arms, Ouseburn, Newcastle where, amongst others, Rumba NE will be performing. For full details visit the event’s Facebook page and for details of the rest of the festival, including the finale at South Shields, visit the main iVAMOS! programme
Here’s a taster of the day, the rest of the images can be viewed on my Flickr set.
On the 26th June 2011 there is the Bowes Railway Steam Day and Classic Cars Day, at the Bowes Railway Museum, Springwell Village, Gateshead NE9 7QJ
Visit Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service for more information and like them on Facebook to keep up to date with information about our region.
23rd and 24th July 2011 10:00 – 16:00
On the 23rd there is a special photography charter where you will have the chance to get shots of the engines and people dressed in period costume. Tickets are £10. You can see some the shots you can get by visiting the Facebook page and viewing some of the excellent shots by Owen Edwards
On the 24th it will be coal and passenger trains. All locos will be running and admission is the usual running day price.
For more information visit their website
Saturday 4th June saw the start of 5 weeks of Latin & Lusophone events as the ¡VAMOS! Festival 2011 got under way with the first ever Tyne Carnival on Newcastle’s Northumberland Street.
This has to be my favourite festival of the year, a real treat for the eyes, ears, taste buds and the soul
There are many events taking place including, music, dance, film, food, educational talks and a photography exhibition and talk at the Side Gallery on the 11th June at 2pm.
The festival closes on the 10th July with music at the Mouth of the Tyne Festival and a festival closing party at Crusoes Bar, Longsands Beach, Tynemouth.
One of my favourite events of the entire festival, the ¡VAMOS! Picnic in Saltwell Park, Gateshead, returns on 2nd July from 12pm – 5pm. Live music, great food, Latin dance lessons for all to enjoy and it’s all free, so there’s no excuse not to get down there.
Here are some shots of the fun from last year’s picnic
The festival runs from the 4th June to 10th July and the full program of events can be seen and downloaded on the ¡VAMOS! website.
More images from last year are here
You can also keep up to date with what’s going on by following the ¡VAMOS! Facebook page
I went out to the Side Gallery in Newcastle yesterday to view the photography exhibition “A Luta Continua!” A superb collection of images of demonstrations, resistance and revolution over the years from around the world.
They also have a wall of recent events that all kinds of photographers can provide images for display. Reuben Tabner, a local action sports and lifestyle photographer, has some of his excellent work displayed there. If you find yourself in Newcastle between now and 28th May 2011 pop in and spend some time viewing the images and also spare a thought for the gallery itself which, like many other art and culture venues, has had it’s funding cut for next year.
You can see what the Side Gallery does by visiting them online at www.amber-online.com.
You can also see some of Reuben Tabner’s work on his shiny new, and very nice, website www.reubentabner.co.uk/
Anyway back to the point of this post.
While I was at the gallery I got a call to tell me about an incident back over the water in Gateshead where there was apparently a mass of emergency services racing to a scene, including the police helicopter.
Needless to say there was nothing of much interest, there rarely ever is, going on anywhere in the Gateshead area when I got back, which was only about 10 minutes after the call.
So while I still had my camera slung over my shoulder and hanging by my waist, I have one of those fancy straps that you can swing your camera all the way around your body if your daft enough to try it, I walked the streets for a while. Lovely day, bright sunshine and lovely flowers in gardens coming into full bloom now. The harshness of the welcome sunshine doesn’t do us togs any favours though, casts very dark shadows and blows out highlights when exposing for the shadows, so the flashgun was on to give some fill.
Ok ok I’ll get to the point, most street togs get their nickers in a twist when another tog dares to call something street when it doesn’t conform to what is generally the accepted style. Well I think that the 2 pictures I got of a small dog peering through the rails of fence fit nicely into the realms of street photography, I was walking the streets and I captured a real life scene. No doubt others will complain that it’s too shiny, happy and loved up and there’s not enough dark depressing emotion in it to be allowed to be called “Street” but hey! Whatever! Pwhaah! This is my street! 
After having 2 glorious days here in the UK I was starting to think we were going to strike it lucky with a clear sky for the “Super Perigee Moon” tonight. However I watched the clouds roll in all afternoon and just knew that when it was time there was going to be little chance of shooting anything of any use.
The most annoying thing was that directly overhead was a clear starry sky!!!
Ah well if I’m still breathing in another 18 years I’ll try again, in the meantime I’ll just try and get the normal perigee Moons.
Below is what I did manage to get, although I feel a little ashamed to post them after seeing some of the shots people in other countries managed to get, well done to all those who did
A zip wire ride across the River Tyne in aid of charities has taken place off the top of the Baltic centre for Contemporary Art.
The top of the building stands at 40m high and the length of the slide across the river is some 280m.
More of these events are planned for June, July and October this year.
The swing bridge, that crosses the river Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead, and opened in 1876 donned a giant red nose for Comic Relief.
Staff at the Port of Tyne attached the 6m diameter nose to the 135 year old bridge on Wednesday to promote the Comic Relief fund raising day.
