Hey presto! Here's all the best-o' Arts Fresco

Arts Fresco founders Caterina Loriggio and Ian Joule were made joint patrons of the popular annual event.

Karen Coles and Isabel Buckle were winners in the photographic competition, sponsored by Croft Wingates Gallery in the town.

And Richard Garaghty and Goronwy Thom were convincing winners of the Audience Choice Award, sponsored by Harborough Building Society.

They even filmed an acceptance speech, just like in the Oscars. Except one was dressed as a tiger, and one was shrunk to half his height.

Compere for the evening, HfM’s Nick Shaw, praised “the dedicated team of volunteers” who make the street arts festival such a success.

And Art’s Fresco’s Nina Thomas reminded everyone: “We wouldn’t be able to do it without support from business.”

Harborough MP Sir Edward Garnier, who also attended last Thursday’s awards, said Arts Fresco “is a great marriage between the arts of the town, the businesses of the town, and the local government of the town. And it’s just so joyful.”

Isabel Buckle, a 12-year-old pupil of Kettering Science Academy, who won the under 14s photography section, said she enjoyed Arts Fresco for its “happy atmosphere”.

Ian Joule said the event was “for Harborough, a revolution” and it survived because “people believed in it”.

The whole evening was dedicated to Arts Fresco stalwart Martin Hill, who died in September, after a long battle against cancer.

Cheerful and determined to the last, he attended the 2016 Arts Fresco in his wheelchair, just a week before he died.