Dobcross Visitor Information

The Dobcross Whit Friday United Effort committee and volunteers look forward to welcoming you to our village on this special day. We have a range of prizes up for grabs so you can expect to see a wide variety of bands at the Dobcross band contest

We also lay claim to the prettiest performance area of all the contests. Can there be anywhere more picture perfect than under the Swedish Whitebeam trees on our idyllic Churchfields village green? The street march is a short one at 80 metres long, but there is always a great atmosphere as the bands march down Platt Lane.

KEEPING YOU SAFE

PLATT LANE – STREET MARCH

All Bands love the atmosphere of the Dobcross street march on Platt Lane and we strongly encourage spectators to clap and sing along as they play.  However, do be aware that the bands will be reading their sheet music as they march, and cannot see any obstructions in front of them.  If you are watching these entertaining marches, please stand well back so that everyone can enjoy the performances safely. 

CHURCHFIELDS

The Dobcross contest is renowned for its picturesque setting on Churchfields and this area is always busy with spectators.  It can therefore be tempting to watch from Woods Lane.  We ask people not to do this as the band coaches are moving through the village throughout the evening and there is an obvious risk of an incident occurring. 

In each of the above cases, there have been some ‘near misses’ in previous years, so if you are asked to move by one of our volunteer stewards, it is because there is a risk to yourself, or others.  Please respect their instructions. 

FIRST AIDERS

There are St John Ambulance first aiders at the Dobcross contest throughout the evening.  If you require assistance, speak to any of the volunteer stewards and they will get help to you quickly.   

Dobcross is a hilltop Pennine village with some cobbled sections and narrow pavements and so access to and within the village can be challenging. Also please be aware that band coaches will be driving through the narrow village roads throughout the afternoon and evening, so please do take care. In particular, we ask people not to stand on Woods Lane to watch the contest. There is no pavement here and the coaches need to pass through, throughout the evening . You must follow any instructions given to you by the stewards and the police. Please also make sure your children are properly supervised.

St John Ambulance first aiders are here throughout the contest and if you need medical assistance, or any other help, please contact any of the stewards around the village or at the Booking In tent.

To see and hear all of the fabulous performances from the 2025 contest, go to our Youtube video.

We will be live streaming again this year – keep checking back to this page.