Festival 2007

Wow, we got away with it! Rain, floods and tempest for weeks before and after, but excellent weather on the Festival weekend. Our grateful thanks to the Scarecrow in the Churchyard and his namesake up above.

As usual, the Festival was a result of a great deal of work by many people; the organising committee in particular, who put in copious man-hours to make the event a social and financial success. As result of our experience over the last five years we are getting better at guessing what will work and what will not, but on the day it is down to the people in charge of the various aspects to make all the last minute decisions. In most cases those who put in the most are those who see the least of the overall event. The one benefit of chairing the Festival is that, on the day, you are expected to be everywhere, so you do see what is happening, (good and bad), throughout the village.

On the Friday evening happy kids and a entertaining Jazz session in St Editha's set the tone of the weekend.

Saturday morning is when we find out :- if we have a procession; if the artists marquees are up and ready; if the stalls for the market appear; whether the Institute has undergone its transformation to a café; whether the bunting and route signs have stayed up; whether the army of parents and children needed for the Fayre and the floats have arrived; if the scarecrow trail quiz sheets have been compiled and printed; if the car park signs are up and the displays set up in church, etc. etc. and indeed they had! I saw a steady stream of visitors, vehicles and villagers appearing down the main street and realised that Church Eaton Festival 2007 was really happening.

Despite the state of the fields at the start and finish a varied and interesting procession of floats, classic cars, motor cycles, tractors, military vehicles, decorated bikes, plus 101 Dalmatians in pushchairs and on foot, with other pedestrian characters, made a great spectacle for the significant crowd of onlookers.

The food outlets at the cafe and the pub were busy after that and the wide range of stalls and entertainment on the school field were being set up.

The display by the Church Eaton Dog Training Club was well worth watching, both for the skills of dogs and handlers when the dogs behaved well, and for entertainment of the odd occasions when they did not. This village has a lot to thank Doug and his team for the effort they put into ensuring that most of the local canine population are a credit to their owners.

As the School Fayre got under way and the Cafe and burger stall realised just how many hungry folk there were around, then the people who had kindly agreed to open their gardens, were wondering if all their work to overcome the ravages of the weather would be worthwhile. At this point, the Mayor and Mayoress of Stafford graced us with their presence, regrettably, having been forgotten by an incompetent Chairman! However, they were soon rescued and enjoyed their visit to the festival. They were amazed that a village the size of Church Eaton could put on such a wide range of high quality activities and impressed by the ingenuity and quantity of the scarecrows. The Mayoress was pleased, to win the star prize of a bottle of whisky on the tombola, if a little embarrassed when she realized that a young man had spent half his pocket money trying to win it for his dad!

The choir and musical concerts in the church and on the school field were much appreciated. Many compliments were received about the open gardens, both for the variety and quality of the gardens themselves as well as the helpful and friendly interaction with the gardeners. Kath and Davids' bunnies and guinea pigs were a big draw for the children, but not everyone thinks of reptiles as pets!

Although there were few significant sales at the Artists and Makers Fair, there were many positive comments on the skills and talent on show. Hopefully, people will be aware of the artistic services available when they need them. The details of the participants are on this web site, so check them out when you need that special gift or item for your home.

As the café closed, the skittle alleys arrived and by about 7.15 the bowling was under way, with competitors from 3 to 80 all enjoying the challenge of traditional Nine-pins. Sadly, the hall capacity limit meant that some deserving families could not get in, but an impromptu Rounders game on the Glebelands eased their disappointment a little. Ralph's Barbecue sold out, so it must have been good value!

Saturday was rounded off with the Firework Display, which was appreciated by the large crowd, if not by the various animals and birds in the neighbourhood. Displays now have to be finished by 11 p.m. and as the last rocket reached its climax the church clock began to chime. Good timing, thanks to our resident ~~pyromaniac~~ pyrotechnician David Rogers!

Sunday morning saw most of the activities under way by 10.30 and a lot of visitors chose the less hectic day to see the festival in action. By mid-day the Morris Men were performing, the Miniature Railway and the Traction Engine were carrying passengers, the Rounders Match had started, as had the Challenge Cricket Match at the Glebelands. At this event, a Village Team were narrowly beaten by the Birmingham Libraries Team. Particular thanks go to Judy for not only arranging the match, but providing all the refreshments.

The additional item of the display by the Newport Gymnastic Club took place on the school field and the large crowd were treated to a thrilling performance by boys and girls of all ages and talents. They clearly enjoy their hobby and put a lot of effort into achieving such high standards. Their display is done to a fixed music programme and as the CD said '2 minutes to go'. it started to spot with rain, by '1 minute to go', it was drizzling and, as they took their bow on the final chord, it really started to rain. Amazing timing; as they would have had to abandon the event if the rain had come earlier. Sadly, it meant that they could not invite local children to have a go, which they like to do.

By 6.30 most people were in church for an inspiring and enjoyable "Songs of Praise" before moving to the Institute for the Shared Supper. Fewer folk than usual came to this activity, but those who did had a chance to eat drink relax and natter before moving outside to see the beacon lit. Three Catherine Wheels and one large rocket marked the end of the Festival, but quite a few stalwarts retired to the 'Stute for a "Sing-along with Gwen". That was good fun, however the "Music Hall" style of the song sheets suggested that those with the stamina were not those in the first flush of youth!

That closed with some serous tidying-up of the Institute, which probably reflected the willingness of villagers to do unnoticed work for the good of the community as well as any of the more spectacular events.

We do not yet know what the financial situation is, but it looks as though it will be at least as good as last year, which considering the weather difficulties, will be quite an achievement.

As I am constantly telling people, the Festival is about community first and foremost, and I am pleased that over 90% of households now make some contribution. We know that we will never get everyone to participate, but with such a large number of people keen to help, it means that Church Eaton really is a good place to live.

My grateful thanks to everyone who made a contribution, large or small. I hope you enjoyed the 2007 festival as much as I did.