Victorian Family Fayre A Resounding Success

Thanks to good weather and good publicity Louth's 2011 Victorian Family Fayre was a great success. Popular ostrich meat purveyors Oslincs ran out of ostrich in the afternoon, such was the demand, and other traders were taken by surprise by the fair's popularity.

Perhaps it was even too successful. It could have done with being spread out a little further into Eastgate, or perhaps behind Meridian House, because it was very crowded at times.

Stallholders and attendees entered into the Victorian spirit with gusto, dusting off a colourful range of period costumes for the occasion. There were top hats, bonnets, chimney sweeps and street urchins. The Lincolnshire Victorians, a re-enactment group, were out in force, and there was a competition for the best costume on the day. The Alford Silver Band played, and there was also face painting, and a Punch and Judy show to entertain the crowds. It was a jolly good show.

I have to say, though, that someone missed a trick. A lot of people who didn't turn up in costume wished they had done, and if someone there had been selling a stall full of Victoriana they would have cleaned up.

Talking of cleaning up, the day was marred by a group of people spraying silly string in Help the Aged. But aside from that it was a very busy day, and colourful in all the right ways. I'm already looking forward to next year's.