Association of Mark Lodges hold its Mark Festival
 
Once a year the Blackpool and District Association of Mark Lodges hold its Mark Festival, 2020 was to be the 50TH. Festival and the Association decided to hold an Anniversary Meeting, but due to the Covid pandemic and the suspension of meetings it was deferred until the restrictions were lifted.
Mark Province of West Lancashire P.G.M. and Executive with Masters in Office and Special Rep
For those that don’t know what the Mark Festival is once a year the Blackpool and District Association invite one of the seven Mark Lodges that meet in one of five venues on the Fylde Coast to host a meeting and select a subject, and with sight, sound and enthusiastic budding thespians delivery a short playlet.
P.G.M. with his D.C.  and Special Rep
Association Chairman and Secretary plan 2023
2020 being Anniversary year the Association decided to invite all seven lodge to take part The theme of the festival meeting was the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Keith Alan Beardmore offered The Provincial Grand lodge to host the meeting
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Each Lodge in turn selected one of the seven subjects by lottery Fylde Mark Lodge selected Grammar, Wyre Mark Rhetoric, Imperial Mark Logic, Bispham with Norbreck Mark Arithmetic, Prince Setanta Mark Geometry, Semper Fidelis Mark Music and Cleveleys Mark Astronomy. A five-minute window was allotted to each Lodge to perform their presentation which proved to be entertaining, amazing and amusing.
 
At the end of the presentations The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master congratulated all those who had taken part on their performance and their enthusiasm. After a short break for an aperitif the brethren were called to the dining room where they partook of a splendid three course dinner.
Chairman Responds to toast
In his response to the toast to The Provincial Grand Master he again congratulated the members of the Lodges for their efforts and proposed a toast to the continuing success of The Blackpool and District Association of Mark Lodges. In response to the toast the Association Chairman Very Worshipful Brother Robert Y. McGown said it had been a wonderful evening and he also congratulated the seven lodges and thank them for their input in making the evening go so well before sitting down the Chairman offered a challenge to Prince Setanta Mark Lodge to host the Fylde Festival 2023 which they graciously accepted. Before they made their way home each of the brethren received a commemorative  Mark Token of the 50th year celebration.
 
Possibly the proudest brother in attendance was the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Masters Special Representative for the Fylde Coast Very Worshipful Brother Douglas John Forster who organised the Festival arranged practices and made sure “ It was alright on the night,” he is to be congratulated.
 
Words and pictures Ernie Gavan