Art, a trip down memory lane and a bit of Pomp and Circumstance will bring the 2009 Ilkley Summer Festival to a close this weekend.

The month-long feast of fun, arts and entertainment will come to a lively finish on Saturday evening with the sell-out Last Night of the Proms concert on The Grove.

Musicians and singers lined up to perform in the town centre include steel band Foxwood Bandits, Lancashire soprano Eleanor Garside, concert pianist Christopher Smith, jazz singer Andile Ndlovlu, mezzo-soprano Margaret McDonald, with Otley accompanist Mark Wilkinson, and the Mardens Silver Prize Band bringing up the rear with the usual selection of Proms favourites.

Concert-goers are reminded to take wet weather clothing in case the weather is bad.

The concert ends with fireworks at around 10pm.

This year’s festival began on Yorkshire Day, August 1, and has boasted many large-scale as well as smaller events, for people of all ages.

At the heart of the festival, and one of the reasons behind its creation, has been the development of cricket for local children.

The England Ladies cricket vice-captain, and player-of-the-match in the recent World Cup Final in Auckland, Nicola Shaw, was one of two players from the successful England Ladies side to visit Ben Rhydding Cricket Club this week.

She was at a two-day coaching event aimed at promoting the women’s game in the area. The England Ladies are taking part in the ECB Ambassadors’ Programme and this is the only such event to be awarded to any club in Yorkshire this year.

Ben Rhydding Women and Girls Cricket Club are in their first season and compete in the Nidderdale Evening League.

The other remaining Ilkley Sumemr Festival events include a tea dance Down Memory Lane at the Winter Garden, with Michael Rose and Shirley Britton, from 1.30pm today. Admission will be £4 on the door.

A three-day exhibition of work by renowned local artist Graeme Willson starts today at Riddings Hall, Christchurch, Riddings Road. The exhibition will be open from 10am to 5pm each day.