HUNDREDS turned out for the opening weekend of the Celebrate Blackburn community festival.
The three-week free festival opened with Blackburn with Darwen’s first ever Let Your Talent Shine where students across the borough gave festival goers a taste of their talents.
A variety of music, dance, drama and other talents were showcased outside Blackburn Town Hall.
This ran alongside an Under the Lantern open day at Blackburn Cathedral.
There were tours, exhibits, and musical performances.
Yesterday, the Mayor of Blackburn and Darwen Coun James Hirst launched the day’s Celebrate Blackburn Races.
In a speech on stage before the 5K run he welcomed the runners and crowds and thanked them for taking part in Celebrate Blackburn 2009 and he also presented the winners with medals and trophies.
More than a 100 runners came to the town yesterday to take part in the races which had been organised in conjunction with the Blackburn Harriers.
The 5K race featured the North of England champions, all of whom were cheered by crowds who had lined the streets.
Celebrate Blackburn is organised by Blackburn with Darwen Council and will be packed with music, arts, food, sports and fashion activities over the next three weeks.
The event is now in it second year after it replaced Blackburn Mela and Arts in the Park.
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