We've rooted out memories of a festival which drew hundreds of people to Penshaw for years
Pupils from Shiney Row Primary School acted as trees
Here’s a poser for you as we ask for memories of the Festival of Trees at Penshaw which was first held 35 years ago.
We have Sunderland Echo archive scenes showing the event being held in 1992 and 1998.
In 1992, hundreds flocked to Penshaw Monument for the second Festival of the Trees. Pupils from Shiney Row Primary School acted as trees and here they are. Pictured left to right are Stacey Guthrie, Amy Milner, Joe Forsyth, Kevin Postill, and Lauren Ashman.
The festival was an annual attraction and our photo memory from 1998 shows Steven Dixon, Kyle Dinsdale, and Michael Dixon carrying willow branches for craft activities in preparation of that year’s event.
Among the highlights of the festival were hands-on craft activities and artistic displays.
Giant sculptures and live performances were also held and usually hundreds of local children would contribute to the fun.
But it is your memories of the Festival of Trees back in the 1990s that we want and we can not wait to hear from you.
Tell us more about this wonderfully seasonal spectacle by emailing [email protected]
Perhaps there’s another aspect of Wearside’s past you would like us to look at. Is there a favourite, pub, club or nightclub that you would like us to spotlight?
Maybe you would like us to put the attention on a school from Sunderland’s history or a workplace.
Or maybe you would like us to concentrate on a piece of sporting history.
Whatever the nostalgia is that you would like to share, tell us more by emailing [email protected]