With glorious September sunshine providing the perfect backdrop, visitors flocked to the historic quay to enjoy the community event – with something to interest people of all ages.
Standing proudly at the heart of the celebrations was HMS Trincomalee, the historic Royal Navy frigate built in Bombay, India, in the early 19th century.
The sound of drums provided a lively soundtrack to the day and there were also plenty of opportunities for younger visitors to get involved, with face painting proving particularly popular. Young Elodie was clearly delighted with her colourful new look.
The event had plenty of character too, with a pirate keeping a watchful eye over proceedings and helping to add a little extra fun to the day’s entertainment.
One of the busiest attractions was the henna tattoo stall, where visitors queued to have intricate designs created on their hands and arms. The colourful artwork provided a fascinating glimpse into an ancient artistic tradition.
Food was, naturally, one of the highlights, with a wonderful selection of Indian cuisine available throughout the day. The boys from Poppadoms were serving up some amazing food, while the cake stall proved equally popular, with the ladies running it doing a fantastic job keeping visitors supplied with tempting treats.
The Mayor of Hartlepool, Sue Little, was also in attendance and gave an excellent speech, helping to celebrate the importance of bringing different communities and cultures together.
Adding even more colour to proceedings was Ali Bodley, Heritage Consultant, who looked fabulous in her sari. Visitors were also able to browse a colourful selection of Asian clothing, adding to the visual spectacle of the day.
The combination of Asian food, traditional music, colourful clothing, henna art and entertainment made for a memorable community celebration — while the presence of HMS Trincomalee provided a particularly fitting link between Hartlepool’s maritime heritage and the ship’s own Indian history.
With the sun shining and smiles everywhere, the Royal Navy Museum proved to be the perfect setting for a day celebrating culture, community and friendship.
Images by Michael Gant
