I grew up in a part of England that’s constantly coming alive with quirky traditions. Yanks Weekend is one such tradition. I’m not sure it can be explained all that succinctly but I’ll try…

In 1979 Richard Gere made a movie called ‘Yanks’. It was about a group of American soldiers stationed in Britain and was set in the English countryside. The little villages (where I grew up) played a starring role in the film and for the last 16 years this fact has been marked with a 2-day celebration. For one weekend a year we step back in time to the 1940s. There are fairs, aerial displays and parades through the streets. A lot of people get into the spirit of things by dressing up vintage style – and there’s an awful lot of swing dancing.

Last year was one of the best and busiest yet – and the first time I’ve been able to experience it for quite a while so I thought I’d give you all a little taste. You can find out more about this brilliant and bizarre event here and if you’re interested in seeing it for yourself it’ll be taking place on 6th and 7th August in Saddleworth.