Rowntree Park's Birthday party is always the largest of the summer fairs organised by City of York Council, but this year's event is set to be an extra special joint celebration to mark 100 years of Scouting.
 
This Sunday, 15 July, will see thousands of people descend on the park to enjoy an exciting programme of traditional birthday party attractions, as well as the chance to join the local scouting community as it celebrates the centenary. There will also be plenty of opportunity to find out what scouting can offer young people by joining in various activities, including arts and crafts.
 
A flying falconry display will take centre stage in the arena, along with two scheduled performances by the North Yorkshire Scouting Centenary Commemoration Band, which is made up of bands from across the region that have come together  for the centenary celebrations.

More than 40 community and charity stalls will be present, along with bouncy castles, face-painting, a model railway and cars, henna tattooing, live music and other summer fair favourites. The scouts will bring along 'scout cars' for a fun go-karting experience and a timeline display will highlight the history of scouting. Visitors to the event can contribute to the creation of a 'Hands of Friendship' scroll by leaving their mark and memories of scouting life.  There will also be an opportunity to build your own ballista and fire wet sponges at stocks.
 
Other attractions include a giant, inflatable army-style assault course for children to play on; juggling workshops; street sports; hand drumming performances, storytelling; and willow weaving. Friends of Rowntree Park, which has helped to organise the event, will be displaying the results of its recent photography competition to create a calendar of the park. Birthday cakes will be cut for both the park and scouts, accompanied by a fanfare from the scout band, and available for those who are quick enough!
 
Stephen Whittaker, of the council's parks and open spaces team, said: "The Birthday party is the largest of the summer fairs that we organise, but this year we had the opportunity to hold a joint celebration with the scouts for their 100th anniversary. This year’s event will be extra special and the largest that the park has seen. What's even better is that it's free to get in and the only beneficiaries are the local community and charitable groups."
 
The event will be open from 12 noon until 4pm. Parking is limited to disabled badge holders only, so other visitors are asked to walk or take public transport.
 
Helen Ruck of the City of York 2007 Scout committee, who is helping to organise the event, commented: "We hope people will join in our celebrations, experience the fun of scouting and see what a fantastic contribution it makes to the lives of young people today. It's also a chance to see how scouting has and continues to evolve, in keeping with the changing demands of modern day life and the wider contribution it makes to the local community."
 
The Rowntree Company gave Rowntree Park as a gift to the people of the city 86 years ago in 1921 in memory of workers who fell during the war. The Birthday party marks this occasion on an annual basis. The scouting celebrations mark 100 years since Lord Baden Powell held the first experimental camp on Brownsea Island, near Poole in Dorset, which was the birth of scouting as we know it today.