YANKS Weekend this August – Saddleworth’s annual step back in time to World War II – has been cancelled for the third year running – and its future is in doubt without financial help.
The two-day military show and vehicle parade is inspired by the iconic film ‘Yanks’ starring Richard Gere and Lisa Eichhorn, with parts filmed in Saddleworth and Tameside.
The popular event, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019, attracts thousands of people, many in retro clothes and vehicles, and is one of the highlights of the year.
It includes a wide selection of 1940s entertainment, historical displays and a military vehicle encampment, militaria and period stalls, a funfair, period dance demonstrations, a BBMF fly over, a vehicle parade led by ‘Winston Churchill’ and much more.
It was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then in 2021 due to ‘lack of funding’.
And now organisers have confirmed it is off the calendar again this summer, citing financial restraints and the move of their base, Saddleworth School, to Diggle as some of the reasons.
Paul ‘Dogtags’ Higginson confirmed on their official Facebook page: “After months of working tirelessly to stage this year’s event it has now become apparent that it will not take place this year.
“There are many reasons behind this decision. Mainly new venue to find and financial restraints, due to the event not taking place over the last two years.
“Sadly there was no financial help forthcoming by the businesses of Uppermill, including the last eight years, apart from one public house (The Waggon).
Previous Yanks Weekend celebrations in Saddleworth
“If we are to stage the show next year, financial help will be need from the businesses of Uppermill. They have gone along with the attitude for far too long that the organisers would be staging the show, so why should we feel the need to contribute.
“Sadly the answer is ‘There will be no show this year’. This also includes the flypast and Parade.
“There is however entertainment in the form of a funfair on King George Playing Fields over the weekend (August 6 and 7) and there is a Swing Ball at the Civic Centre on Saturday evening, which I would ask everyone to support. These two entertainments have been put on privately.
“Myself and the Yanks team have worked tirelessly over the last 10 years to stage the show for the businesses of Uppermill, and people of the borough and beyond.
“If we are to move forward into 2023 we all need to sit down and discuss a way forward to stage a show Uppermill and Saddleworth area can be proud of.”
Good. The organiser has spend the last five years repeatedly slagging off Uppermill businesses for not supporting an event that none of them asked for. Only the pubs and cafes do well out of Yanks, especially in the last few years as it’s morphed from a family friendly festival into an excuse to get drunk and cause chaos. By 5pm most people have abandoned Uppermill because of all the anti-social behaviour associated with a YANKS event that has lost all of its original roots.
All good things come to an end and YANKS has had its day. Good riddance.
Hello Mark
The main event was at Saddleworth high school Where the event was managed 100% . The hospitality venues in the village, did there own thing by having singers performing etc. Perhaps your right its time to for it to move to a location where people will acknowledge the service given by our veterans.
Don’t know where you got this information from because it’s not true, Yanks 2022 is on and includes the parade on Sunday too – it’s only Paul DogTags telling people it’s not happening because he’s taking a back seat. It’s going to be the biggest weekend of the year in Saddleworth so you should write an article listing the 40 + events that are happening 😃