onionbagblog

I knew that this moment would creep up on us very soon, and with an opening of the Inbox, here we have it: preparations for the 2011 Wivenhoe May Fair are underway.

Hurrah!

Sure, the day-to-day grind of everyday life continues (um, still grinning,) but the first twelve months since @AnnaJCowen and I first moved to Wivenhoe were always going to be full of memories. Our first Halloween, Christmas, um, argument etc.

But the biggie has to be the May Fair. It is *the* Wivenhoe social highlight of the year, from where a perspective on where you are, and not where you’re at (natch) can be judged.

The May Fair also represents something of a Wivenhoe moment of completion for us. Cast your mind back to May Fair 2010, and you may have seen a strange couple walking around the town.

Actually, that’s probably an annual May Fair observation… But it was early on the morning of the 2010 May Fair that we came house hunting in Wivenhoe.

Blimey.

The plan had been hatched to buy a house (gosh) drink some booze and then make merry at the May Fair. Added to confusion was an elder sister and her young family, who were holidaying by mistake in Colchester.

Cripes.

2010 confirmed all that we knew and expected of Wivenhoe. Some polite folly with the estate agent followed, but we decided sometime around three in the afternoon, slightly tired and emotional as we laid back and surveyed the splendour of the May Fair that yep - Wivenhoe is for us.

And so anticipation is building ahead of the event this year. The press release has been sent out; your first port of call should be the William Loveless Hall on the evening of 24th February from 7:30 onwards for a planning meeting.

It’s got be easier than buying a house…

Volunteers invited to get involved with this year’s Wivenhoe May Fair

Organisers of the Wivenhoe May Fair are inviting everyone to attend an open meeting at the William Loveless Hall between 7.30pm and 9.30pm on the 24th of February to find out how to get involved with the well-known free music and arts festival.

The open meeting will also enable potential volunteers to discover more behind the scenes information about the event, which will be held on the town’s King George V Playing Field between noon and 6pm on Monday, 30th May, the last Bank Holiday in May.

Riggers, stewards, bar people and litter pickers are just some of the vital roles that need to be filled to stage the fund raising event that has raised nearly £30,000 for charities since 2000. In addition, the May Fair organisers are keen to hear from local businesses and traders who would like to have a pitch at the event or who can donate services to make the day more special.

More information about the Wivenhoe May Fair is available on the website www.wivenhoemayfair.com, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 01206 820826.

Mike Freeman of the Wivenhoe May Fair said:

“It would be impossible to stage the festival without the support of the community spirited volunteers who have run the event for the last 29 years. Putting on over a dozen bands on two music stages is a logistical feat in itself, but when you add organising the very popular cycle-powered cinema tent, market stalls, beer tent and healing area the people power required quickly increases.

Being part of our team is great fun and helps to support the charities. We would therefore be delighted to see anyone who would like to get involved with the Wivenhoe May Fair at the meeting on 24th of February.”

See you there…