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A festival celebrating Wakefield’s mining heritage and the trade union movement will parade through the city displaying colliery banners.

The annual trade union festival With Banners Held High will be held Saturday, May 13, when Wakefield will welcome hundreds of trade unionists with their union banners.

This year the festival’s theme is about looking to a green future and sustainable living.

The main event remains a parade of pit colliery banners in Wakefield city centre accompanied by three bands – Houghton le Spring Pipe Band, the PCS Samba band and the Crofton Silver Band

Previous With Banners Held High. Day long festival to commemorate the 1984/5 miners strike, held at Unity Works, Wakefield

Trevor Howard, joint chairman of the organising committee, said: “With Banners Held High started to commemorate the 30th year of the miners’ strike – to remember the past, so that we can build the future.

"Each year a committee of volunteers from across the regions’ trade unions comes together to organise this fabulous event.

"As one event is packed away the next is starting to be planned.

"Each year we try to develop the festival – with the march, more music, the online workshop series, events at the Red Shed, and this year with children’s activities in Mandela Square.

Previous events have been held at Unity Hall on Westgate

"This year our theme is sustainable energy – sustainable living as we consider the ways we need to transform our economy and build a green future.

"We really hope that people are able to get to Wakefield to join in with this great event.”

On the Friday, May 12, prior to the main event, the Red Shed will host author and broadcaster Ian Clayton giving a talk on the Featherstone Massacre before Annie Lawson-Foley talks about sustainable living with the Sheffield Needs a Payrise Campaign.

Guest speakers on the Saturday will include Kevin Courtney, general secretary of National Education Union, and Bill Adams, regional secretary of the Trades Union Congress.

The main event of this year's festival will take place Saturday, May 13

Folk punk and blues activist Joe Solo will join the lineup, as well as Leeds People Choir and band Bard Company, while Ian Clayton will compère the event.

The route starts on Smyth Street, and ends outside Wakefield Town Hall and the main stage for anyone who wants to follow.

Visitors are invited to join in with the march.

With Banners Held High festival returns to Wakefield