Keswick’s popular Victorian Fayre is set to get everyone in the mood for Christmas.
The event takes place on Sunday, December 4, following its welcome return last year, in a slimmed down format, following its cancellation in 2020 because of COVID-19.
It is a non-profit making event, organised by a committee of Keswick Rotary, Keswick Lions and Bassenthwaite Rotary volunteers, in which charities or other non-commercial organisations take a stall and sell items of food or have games which help raise money.
For example Keswick Rotary has stalls selling coffee, cakes, mince pies and holly plus games such as whack-the-rat.
There is entertainment all day both in the main square in front of the Moot Hall and Packhorse Court. Among those performing will be Keswick School Band, Committed 2 Rock, Cockermouth Mechanics Band, Cockermouth Ukulele Band and Belfagan. It will conclude with a joint carol singing session with Committed 2 Rock and Cockermouth Mechanics Band. A funfair for children is also on all day.
Father Christmas will appear in his sleigh drawn by volunteers from Keswick Rugby Club, or possibly by car, and will hand out gifts to all children present.
The fair will be officially opened by Copeland MP Trudy Harrison at 11am although stage events and stalls will be open from about 10.30am.
A raffle with generous prizes supplied by local tradespeople will run through the day and prizes drawn at 3pm and there will be an award for the best dressed stall with a Victorian theme.
The event is sponsored by local businesses – the main sponsor being Lake District Hotels accompanied by the Rotary Clubs and Lions with other sponsors being Packhorse Court, Lakes and Dales Co-operative, Friars and Screwfix.
Organisers say there are 23 individual charities and organisations making up a total of 30 stalls which are erected and dismantled by Allerdale Borough Council market staff.
This year the fayre committee has asked Allerdale Borough Council to give the car parking for free on fair day which the local authority has agreed to.
“It is a great event for families to start the festive season and brings in hundreds of people to Keswick for what would normally be a quiet weekend,” said KVF chairman Nigel Lewis.
