This is a film of Keighley Gala in 1974.  Accompanied by a live soundtrack, the film documents the marching bands and the hubbub of the watching crowds.  Title - Gala Day 1974 The film begins with spectators lining a busy street waiting for the Gala procession.  Children sit on the kerb with lollies.  A man walks by selling Union Jack flags.  Eventually the procession arrives, led by a marching boy’s band.  These are followed by a float for Keighley Gala Queen, scouts and cubs.   The Gala...

This is a film of Keighley Gala in 1974.  Accompanied by a live soundtrack, the film documents the marching bands and the hubbub of the watching crowds.  Title - Gala Day 1974 The film begins with spectators lining a busy street waiting for the Gala procession.  Children sit on the kerb with lollies.  A man walks by selling Union Jack flags.  Eventually the procession arrives, led by a marching boy’s band.  These are followed by a float for Keighley Gala Queen, scouts and cubs.   The Gala makes its way through the town centre, along streets lined with crowds.  There is a float for the Bronte Family, and another for the Ukrainian Youth Association, Keighley Branch.  There is a focus on a small black boy among the crowd, and more floats, the Boy’s Brigade, and children dressed up as rats.    There are more floats, including one for Old Time Music Hall.  Another float appears to be a theatre group sending up the TV programme ‘Top of the Pops’, with a slogan of “Holy Family Scum”.  Then comes majorettes, more floats and another young marching band, with the Heritage Brass Band bring up the rear.  Following this is a parade of vintage cars, with their occupiers dressed in vintage clothes. The film then switches to show a hot air balloon over the moors to the accompaniment of the Blue Danube Waltz, before it comes to an end.  End title – Filmed by Keith Overend