Malton’s St Clement’s Festival 2025 — a celebration of craft, fire and community

Malton has always had a knack for blending the old with the wonderfully alive, and this year’s St Clement’s Festival felt like the town had thrown open its doors and invited the entire Vale to warm their hands by its creative fire. As dusk began its slow descent over the rooftops, the market square transformed into a glowing tapestry of ironwork demonstrations, lantern-lit stalls, and the steady ring of hammers returning to old rhythms.

Local smiths, some seasoned by decades and others barely past apprenticeship, worked shoulder to shoulder, coaxing sparks into brief constellations that danced in the chill March air. Visitors wandered between forges and craft benches, watching spoons, horseshoes, and delicate iron roses emerge from the heat like stories being told in metal. The scent of woodsmoke mingled with gingerbread from the winter bakery tents, and everywhere you turned there was the hum of friendly chatter neighbours greeting neighbours as though the entire festival were a meeting of old friends.

There was history beneath every clink of steel: St Clement’s Day once marked the blessing of tools for the winter ahead, and this year’s gathering honoured that heritage with a modern warmth. Children paraded handmade lanterns, musicians filled the old streets with fiddle tunes, and the final fire sculpture a bright, twisting oak crackled into the night as if saluting all who had tended its flames.

By the time the last embers glowed, Malton felt both deeply rooted and newly alight a reminder that craft isn’t merely skill, but a celebration of community.

And as the smoke curled gently skyward, it carried with it the quiet promise that traditions burn brightest when tended together.

From ancient stones to modern quirks, Yorkshire never runs out of stories.

Which Yorkshire seaside town is home to the longest open-air bench in Britain?
Answer at the bottom!

While you think on that, let’s talk about looking after yourself.

5 Bold Conversations To Have With Yourself

There’s a quiet courage in pausing long enough to listen inwardly  especially when life pulls you in a dozen directions at once. Here are five conversations worth having with yourself this week, each one a gentle nudge toward a more grounded you:

1. “What am I carrying that isn’t mine anymore?”
   Letting go doesn’t require drama just honesty. Identify one expectation or task that no longer fits, and release it.

1. “Where do I feel most at home?”
   Whether it’s a woodland path, a cosy kitchen, or the library alcove no one else uses, spend ten minutes there today.

1. “What would I choose if fear wasn’t in the room?”
   Try a small step in that direction. Even tiny courage counts.

1. “How can I be kinder to future me?”
   Prep something simple tomorrow’s breakfast, a tidy space, a note of encouragement.

1. “Who do I want to become?”
   Don’t worry about grand plans; choose one habit that nudges you toward that version of yourself.

If you enjoy reflective practices, you might find resources like the NHS Every Mind Matters page or the Mental Health Foundation’s wellbeing tools uplifting and accessible.

Before you go, here’s more proof Yorkshire is never boring.

"May we find strength in our vulnerabilities, wisdom in our losses, and courage in our hearts. Let our legacy be a tapestry of compassion, hope, and honor, woven with every step we take. Embrace the journey, for in our actions, we leave an everlasting imprint on the world."

Let the small sparks in your week a kind word, a quiet sunrise, a shared smile remind you how brightly life can glow when you pause to notice.

Scarborough — home to the famously long curved promenade bench overlooking the sea.