The village Fete

One of the annual summer rituals here in Blighty is the ubiquitous summer "Village Fete"

Inevitably orchestrated by a disparate/desperate group of dedicated locals who spend hours of their time planning, meeting, arguing, making, planting, sewing, baking etc. all with the intention of producing a Grand Day Out and fund raising for local projects and charities. I am one such "local" should that read "glutton for punnishment"?

Country Living

My Fete training began back in the mid Seventies.

Here I am snapped by the Paps at our village Fete. Note the crochet dress Magpie fashioned for me, yes that's the Magpie on the left in the snazzy waistcoat, oh and little faraway bro sporting dungarees.

Note to Magpie " what's going on with our fringes?"

Images from my scrap book all Country Living

The thing is, all joking aside we Brits really do put on a jolly good show!

Earlier this summer I went to the Decorative Living Fair organised by the wonderful Caroline Zoob,

such a lovely event in a glorious rural setting and beautifully staged, here is the entrance to the marquee for the cafe.

Lovely spot to enjoy a "naughty but nice"

gorgeous vintage garden bits and pieces to buy

I loved this stall, especially this pram jumble full of knitted friends

Oh and these two characters off for a jaunt down the lanes!

Adored the wisteria tied to the marquee entrance

So as the day approached for my own Village Fete I scribbled this mini gazebo to add to our advertising/ bags et al.

And sat outside at my garden table until 10pm tying garden posies to sell on our plant stall

You get the idea!

My friend Mrs.Long embellished my signs with her spotty ribbon which was a triumph! Thank you Mrs.Long xXx

We had some wonderful donations from local nurseries

and I got to use my lovely bunting! you can buy it from Sarah Raven's website here

You may be able to spot Mr. Lane in this one!

Anyway, brilliant day!

When I reflect on Summer it is always punctuated by these golden days of Fetes and Fairs and Jamborees and regattas.

Villages are decorated, dressed up for the day and and ordinary fields are turned into tented markets where all manner of bric~a~brac lurks alongside plants and cakes and jams and clowns and birds of prey and dog shows and goodness knows what else.......

at the Regatta it's the same but by the water~ sack races alongside rowing and running!

flags instead of bunting!

The thing is, wherever the event takes place it is always a day to remember.

I am so thrilled to be part of our village fete team as I have met the most wonderfully dedicated team of people you could wish for, I have laughed my socks off, I have at times been very cross too!

Bottom line ~ I have made some amazing friends

If you are ever asked to help put up the bunting for the village fete I thoroughly recommend you go!

Love Sarah

xXx