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Thirty years of the Wivenhoe May Fair will be celebrated on 26th May when the community organised festival returns for another year at the King George V Playing Fields in the town. With over £35,000 raised for local charities since 2000 alone, the original CND ethos might have shifted ever so slightly, but the aim of helping to support the local community remains the same.

With this in mind, the May Fair team has put together a line-up that showcases Wivenhoe talent of old and new across the three stages for the day. Wivenhoe rising star Lou Terry is a popular choice, along with Hobo Chang, Brainstorm Wednesday and Surfquake all also appearing on the bill. The Open Mic tent will be available to book a slot, as soon as the site opens at midday.

Elsewhere and the popular cinema tent also returns, helping to showcase local filmmakers. The site will also include many attractions for younger folk, keeping with the aim of making May Fair a festival where young families are made to feel most welcome.

With a slight wink and a nod to the past, organisers are encouraging both bands and punters to come to the May Fair in vintage clothes. Come as you are, as the case may be for some…

If you need some inspiration on the day, then the upper end of the KGV will have many stalls selling retro clothes. There will also be a beer tent hosted by a local brewery. Admission to the site with alcohol on the day will be restricted. Further details will appear on the Wivenhoe May Fair website.

The May Fair team add:

“Over the winter the team has been working closely with the local authorities and emergency services to create a safe and relaxed event. As a result there will be an increased police presence in the vicinity and double the number of trained security personnel on the field. The venue will operate a restricted alcohol policy and no glass is permitted on site. Please see the website for full details of what is allowed on site.

Reflecting both the ethos of the May Fair and a total absence of parking in Wivenhoe on the day, organisers are also encouraging festivalgoers to leave their cars behind. An increased train service to Wivenhoe will drop people off 2 minutes away from the event or come by bike, where plenty of bike storage areas will be available. Buses will also be offering a regular service to and from the event.”

Peace, love and understanding.

Nothing funny about that…