A natural way to spend the weekend
Cambridge News, 18 September 2009
AN event like this really brings the community together," says Emma Owen. "There's
a genuine sense of everyone working as a team - though I hear there's a lot of competition
in the allotment fraternity to see who can produce the biggest marrow . . ."
Emma is the organiser of this weekend's Food and Garden Festival in Cambridge. Launched
last year, it's already become an annual event:
taking place on Parker's Piece, the 2009 festival will include everything from a
giant food hall and plant stalls to art and craft tents and a good, oldfashioned
produce show.
"There are all kinds of classes, from biggest pumpkin through to best miniature
garden," adds Emma, a Cambridge mum-of-two.
"The festival showcases all that's great about growing your own - something which
is becoming more and more popular these days, because people are concerned about
food miles and traceability.
"And it's also a great opportunity for families to get out, enjoy themselves and
do something a little bit different."
Running tomorrow (Friday, 18 September) and Sunday, the Food and Garden Festival
is set to attract thousands of people to Parker's Piece. "I always think of Parker's
Piece like Cambridge's village green," laughs Emma.
"People use it for all kinds of things: walking the dog, having a picnic, getting
to and from the town . . . as a Cambridge person it's really nice for us to be able
to do a fair here."
The food hall - which will be twice the size of last year's - will be selling sausages,
steaks, pies, pickles and even cupcakes. Among the stallholders will be Cambridge
vet Angelika von Heimendahl: the boss of CamCattle, she owns the cows that graze
on Midsummer Common.
"The Food and Garden Festival has a really good atmosphere," says Angelika, who
appeared at the fair last year. "And it's a really good way to introduce people
to CamCattle and our meat."
Angelika, who hails from Germany, says she always wanted to work with animals (despite
her mother's protests: "She cried for three days when I told her I wanted to be
a vet - she thought it was dirty, smelly and too much hard work").
Living in central Cambridge, the mother-of-five says she had reconciled herself
to the fact that, though she worked with farm animals, she couldn't have any of
her own.
And then, quite out of the blue, she got chatting to one of the Friends of Midsummer
Common who said they were keen to see cattle back on the land; a long-standing tradition,
the grazing had been brought to a halt by Foot and Mouth. Investing in just eight
Red Poll cattle, Angelika says they were the perfect breed for the job: native to
East Anglia, they are placid and have no horns. "That's important when you have
500 people stroking them," laughs Angelika.
In the last three years, Angelika's herd has expanded from eight to around 120.
As well as roaming Midsummer Common, they now graze many other green spaces in and
around the city: Stourbridge Common, Sheep Fen, Grantchester Meadows, the grounds
of Trumpington Hall . . .
Angelika says the meat from her cattle has a really good flavour; she rears them
up to the age of 28 months, far longer than most.
Although they feed on grass, Angelika tops up their diet with a combination of minerals.
"That's why you might see me walking across the common with a bucket, shouting 'Come
on boys'," she laughs.
Angelika will be selling everything from roasting joints and steaks to minced beef
at the fair, with prices starting at £3 per lb. Rearing the cattle is, she says,
a very satisfying business.
"I love to see Midsummer Common on a summer evening, when the light is very yellow
and the cattle are lying down under the trees," adds Angelika. "It's beautiful:
it reminds me of a painting."
With her mother a tailoress, Barbara says she has been sewing all her life.
But it wasn't until she suffered a mental breakdown in the early 1990s that she started to do craftwork as a hobby: beginning with cards and papercraft, she went on to specialise in textiles.
"It became my way of relaxing," explains Barbara. "I found it very therapeutic and realised that I enjoyed being creative . . . things just went from there."
Since taking early retirement four years ago, following a second breakdown, Barbara has set up TeeBee Crafts and created an entire collection - from aprons and tea cosies to handbags and necklaces - all fashioned out of fabric.
A regular at local art and craft fairs, she says she likes the Food and Garden Festival in particular, again because of the "lovely atmosphere".
Barbara says she is always on the look-out for new and different ideas:
her line of tea cosies were inspired by her sister-in-law, who spotted a gap in the market, while her accessory sets for children (comprising a co-ordinating apron, bag and pencil roll), were created with her 2-year-old granddaughter in mind.
"Nobody passes my stall without making a comment," adds Barbara.
"Making all these things gives me a lot of pleasure - it's nice to think they give other people pleasure too."
In front of the art and craft tents, the festival will have a whole area of outdoor stalls selling plants and gardening equipment.
Another marquee will house the Gardening Question Time roadshow, a panel of BBC and ITV garden experts. They will be taking questions from members of the public and also asking some questions of their own - with prizes, from a lawnmower to a packet of seeds, awarded for a right answer.
The produce show and a series of cookery demonstrations, conducted by the Cambridge Cookery School team, will take place in the fifth and final marquee.
There will also be a refreshment area, boasting a selection of real ales and ciders from around the country, and a fairground specially for small children, complete with a bouncy castle and a miniature train.
Emma, who runs Oakleigh Fairs (the company behind Cambridge's Town and Country Fair) with her husband, says this weekend's festival is set to be a great event.
"Even the weather's going to be good," she laughs. "I know because I booked it . . ."
Town and gown cross the divide
THOUSANDS of people flocked to the Cambridge 800 Town, Gown and Country Show over the weekend.
The free event, which attracted around 45,000 to 50,000 revellers on Saturday and Sunday, took place under the sun on Parker's Piece in Cambridge.
Charlie Owen, organiser of the event, said: "It has been marvellous - there were people everywhere enjoying themselves.
"It's the best we've ever had."
The mayor of Cambridge Cllr Russ McPherson officially launched the 20th Cambridge Environmental Festival on Saturday morning, marking the start of the show.
More than 40 events will take place over the next two weeks, including talks on natural history, nature walks and tours of the city's recycling centre.
Cambridge University supported the event as part of its 800th anniversary celebrations.
Entertainment included birds of prey and flying displays, a medieval village re-enactment including fighting knights, The Sheep Show, the Suffolk Punch horses, donkey rides, full and scale steam engines, food hall stands and arts, craft and gift marquees.
There was also a fairground and bouncy castle.
The show also marked the start of Cambridge Bike Week.
Free lessons organised by Cycle Cambridge - a campaign to encourage people across the county to cycle safely and more often - were taking place on Parker's Piece as part of a bike fair.
There were also performances by a BMX stunt team, a cycle orienteering competition, bike security workshops and a bike sale.
Photo Gallery from BBC Cambridgeshire
Cambridge's largest free to enter family event!
The Cambridge 800 Town, Gown & Country Show, Parker’s Piece, Cambridge CB1 1JF Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June 2009
Parker’s Piece is once again the setting for arguably what is Cambridge’s largest free to enter family event (2008 welcomed crowds of 45,000) – the third Cambridge 800 Town, Gown & Country Show and organisers Oakleigh Fairs are delighted to announce that this year the show is being supported as part of the University’s 800th Anniversary celebrations.
Charlie Owen, MD of Oakleigh says, ‘We are so pleased that the University is supporting us – it will bring an interesting and unusual twist to the show this year – whether it be Tudor storytellers giving the real history of the Town & Gown, the fascinating Cabinet of Curiosities or even the chance to try your hand at making your own fossil, all will add to the Town’s understanding of what goes on behind the scenes within the various Departments – but right in the heart of the City’
With something for everyone, from Horkesley Park’s Heavy Horse Demonstration Team, full size and scale Steam Engines, The Sheep Show - an educational as well as fun show, Children’s Entertainment, Donkey Rides, Swords of Chivalry battle re-enactments and medieval village and Fighting Knights, as well as hands-on Cookery demonstrations from the Cambridge Cookery School, as well as Burwash Manor and the Countryside Restoration Trust who bring the Farm to the City. On Sunday this year we also have the Companion Dog Show – so bring along a canine friend and have a go! (And all proceeds from entries will go to Marie Curie Cancer Care).
Bike Week as well as Cambridge City Council’s Sustainable City team will also be on hand.
And if that’s not all – as well as demonstrations of stick furniture making and thatching, the children can also have a go at making traditional Corn Dollies. There will also be other rural demonstration skills to enjoy and you can sample and buy in our Arts, Crafts and Gifts marquees as well as Lifestyle and Food Stalls.
So, whatever the weather there will be something for everyone at this two day event. The Mayor of Cambridge has very kindly agreed to formally open the show at 11am on Saturday.
Special Interest Groups are warmly invited to take part and we welcome enquiries from trade stands
Fully catered and there is a licensed bar.
The hunt is on for biggest pumpkin
Cambridge News, 30 August 2008
EVERYTHING from the heaviest potato to home-made jam is featuring in a new
aspect to the fast-approaching Cambridge Food and Garden
Festival.
Organisers of the event, Oakleigh Fairs, which takes place on
Parker's Piece on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21, have
introduced a special home produce and children's class element to the
show.
And green-fingered residents, of all ages, are being urged to enter
before the closing date, Friday, September 12.
Classes include decorated
eggs, collections of fruit, assorted vegetables, heaviest pumpkins, marrows and
potatoes, jams and chutneys, cakes, flowers, biscuits, play-dough farm animals
and even the tallest cress "hair" in a decorated egg.
Emma Owen, director
of Oakleigh Fairs, said: "We want the produce show to be a showcase for all
those green-fingered residents out there to demonstrate their skills, whether
it's a few tomatoes in a grow bag or some herbs in your window-box.
"The
hunt is now on for Cambridge's heaviest marrow or pumpkin."
All entries
must be sent to 2 Tenison Avenue, Cambridge CB1 2DY.
For an entry form
and more information visit www.oakleighfairs.co.uk
Halstead: Country show whisks vistors back in time
Gazette (Colchester and North Essex), 4 August 2008
A popular country show and craft village attracted thousands.
The annual Halstead show at Peterfield Antique Village, Gosfield, included birds of prey flying displays, which captivated the crowds.
Suffolk punch horses, which weigh more than a tonne each, were admired as they harrowed over the earth and ferret racing brought a smile to people’s faces.
Walkabout minstrels played medieval music and working gun dogs showed off their skills in the arena.
Members of the public were eager to test their aim with the clay pigeon shooting.
There were traditional rural demonstrations including spinning, braiding and weaving, besom broom making as well as stick furniture making.
On Sunday, the sun shone for the colourful and entertaining Jive Pony horse acrobatic show.
For children there were inflatables, donkey rides and a Punch and Judy show.
Ewe'll be face of Melford country fair
Suffolk Free Press, 19 June 2008
A design by a talented nine-year-old artist will be seen by thousands of people at a major charity event this weekend. Callum Rice's picture will appear on the cover of the programme for a two-day midsummer country fair at Melford Hall.
It was chosen after the organisers ran a competition for children at Long Melford primary school.
The fair, which will have more than 60 stallholders and numerous other attractions, is in aid of a half-million pound appeal for the village's Holy Trinity Church.
Callum's mum, Deborah Underwood of Martyn's Rise, Long Melford, said: "I am very proud of him.
"He is very creative and really loves anything to do with art. It is his favourite subject at school, and he is always making things."
Event organisers Oakleigh Fairs from Cambridge are running the fair in the grounds of Melford Hall on behalf of the Holy Trinity appeal committee.
Attractions lined up on Saturday and Sunday include Billy Kinghorn's sheep show, Cyril the Squirrel terrier racing, Suffolk Punches from Horkesley Park, falconry, agility dogs and a have-a-go bakery.
For youngsters, there will be donkey rides, magic and Punch and Judy shows, plus a farm and a fairground.
Craft workers will demonstrate traditional skills like hurdle and stick furniture making, spinning and braiding.
There will also be displays of antique farm machinery and, on Sunday, a companion dog show in aid of Labrador Rescue.
The appeal still needs to raise around half a million pounds for renovations to the church including restoring stained glass windows, work on the bells and bell frame, and new lighting, sound system and heating.
The fair will be officially opened by Sir John Mowbray, chairman of the appeal committee
Stallholders roll up for Long Melford's new summer fair
Suffolk Free Press, 12 June 2008
Stallholders are flocking to take part in a midsummer country fair which will raise funds for one of Suffolk's most beautiful churches.
More than 60 people are queueing up to sell arts, crafts, gifts and food at the event in Long Melford, on June 21 and 22, in aid of the Holy Trinity Church appeal.
The appeal still needs to raise around half a million pounds for renovations, including restoring stained glass windows, work on the bells and bell frame, and new lighting, a sound system and heating.
Event organisers Oakleigh Fairs, from Cambridge, are running the Midsummer Country Fair in the grounds of Melford Hall on behalf of the appeal committee.
Oakleigh's Emma Owen said this week that the venue had proved very popular with stallholders.
"We are very pleased. It has obviously really caught their imagination and they are coming from a wide area," she said.
A host of attractions have been put together to entertain the thousands of visitors expected at the show.
They include Billy Kinghorn's sheep show, terrier racing, Suffolk Punches from Horkesley Park, falconry, agility dogs and a have-a-go bakery.
For youngsters there will be donkey rides, magic and Punch and Judy shows, a farm and a fairground.
Craft workers will demonstrate traditional skills like hurdle and stick furniture making, spinning and braiding.
There will also be displays of antique farm machinery and, on the Sunday, a companion dog show in air of Labrador Rescue.
The fair will be officially opened by appeal committee chairman Sir John Mowbray.
Country show has some animal magic
THOUSANDS of people flocked to Parkers's Piece over the weekend for a major country show.
Among the attractions at the Town and Country Show were sheep and duckling herding, as well as displays of cattle and Suffolk shire horses.
There were also action-packed demonstrations of medieval fighting by the Swords of Chivalry historical re-enactment group and steam engine displays by Burwash Manor Farm.
Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Mike Dixon, said: "It was very much in the tradition of the old fairs we used to have in Cambridge, with lots of animal displays.
"The children I saw there were having a great time watching the sheep dogs and cattle - it was a very successful day."
Last year's inaugural show pulled in 30,000 visitors, and organisers believe they topped that total this year.
Country fun at the stately home
Northampton Chronicle, 9 June 2008
Warm weather attracted big crowds to The Country Show at Castle Ashby at the weekend.
Thousands of people enjoyed the chance to browse around the dozens of arts and crafts stalls set up in the grounds of the Northamptonshire stately home owned by Lord Compton.
The entertainment on offer included a duck herding display, plus birds of prey and agility dogs. Children were amused by Punch and Judy shows, a stilt-walker and a massive inflatable slide.
Emma Owen, director of Oakleigh Fairs who organised the event, said: "I am really pleased.
It is a gorgeous setting and people have come out in droves to enjoy all the different entertainment on offer.
There is something for everybody with sheep shows, agility dogs display, falconry and fantastic arts and crafts stalls.
People have been staying for a long time. We look forward to coming back next year."
One of the most popular attractions on Sunday proved to be the sheep show, presented by New Zealand high country shepherd Stuart Barnes, who also invited children from the audience to help herd a group of ducks.
The gardens and tea rooms at the house were open to the public and the Knights of Honour, a 14th century medieval re-enactment society, carried out demonstrations throughout the weekend.
Amie Somerset-Williams, wedding and events planner at Castle Ashby, who along with Mark Brooks, head gardener, helped organise the show, said: "We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the turnout.
To see the grounds come to life makes it all very rewarding.
We would like to thank all the staff who have helped."
See the video
Town & Country Show to attract thousands
Thousands of people are set to flock to Cambridge as the city stages a major outdoor show.
The Town & Country Show will be held on Parker's Piece on the weekend of June 14 and 15, and organisers reckon huge crowds will come along - last year's inaugural event attracted 30,000 people.
There will be an arena featuring displays, including a sheep show and duckling herding, and attractions such as the Raptor Foundation and Shepreth Wildlife Park will take part, as well as Suffolk Punch shire horses.
The Swords of Chivalry historical re-enactment group will demonstrate fighting skills, and there will be a wide range of farming demonstrations including livestock and machinery by Burwash Manor Farm, the Countryside Restoration Trust, and Chivers and Glebe farms.
A spokeswoman for the organisers said: "We will have hands-on cookery demonstrations in our kitchen marquee, and Monica Askay, local chef and 'foodie', will be cooking on site.
"Her recipes will include summer salads, summer herbs, strawberries and puddings, with ingredients sourced where possible from local suppliers. Marquee sponsors Divertimenti will hold knife skills workshops.
"With arts, crafts and gifts marquees as well as lifestyle stalls and a food hall, there will be something for everyone."
Children's events include donkey rides, Punch and Judy and Kondini The Human Toolbox. Demonstrations of rural skills are also planned as well as a medieval story teller and a historical re-enactment village. Full size and scale steam engines will also be on show.
Entry to the Town & Country Show - which is being backed by the News - is free, but some activities such as a children's fairground and inflatables will carry a charge. The event will be fully catered and there will be a licensed bar.
Several firms are sponsoring the event - Waitrose, Ridgeons, the Cambridge Building Society, Carter Jonas and Divertimenti.
Line-up revealed for Melford's big new summer fair
Suffolk Free Press, 29 May 2008
Long Melford is hosting its first midsummer country fair to raise funds for the Holy Trinity Church appeal.
The ambitious event, a country fair and craft village, takes place in the grounds of Melford Hall over the weekend of June 21 and 22.
Organisers Oakleigh Fairs, of Cambridge, were approached by the church's appeal committee and have put together a packed two-day family show with a varied programme appealing to all ages.
Entertainment includes Scot Billy Kinghorn's sheep show, Cyril the Squirrel terrier racing, local Suffolk Punches from Horkesley Park, falconry and bird of prey displays, agility dogs and a have-a-go bakery.
For youngsters there will be donkey rides, magic and Punch and Judy shows, a farm and fairground.
In addition traditional craft workers will demonstrate hurdle and stick furniture-making as well as spinning and braiding.
Other features include displays of antique farm machinery, arts, crafts and gifts marquees and a lifestyle and food hall.
On the Sunday only a companion dog show in aid of Labrador Rescue will be open to all dogs.
Emma Owen of Oakleigh Fairs said: "From a professional viewpoint the country fair has received tremendous support from local people. There's a real sense of community we've been able to tap into.
"We're very grateful to Sir Richard and Lady Hyde Parker for allowing us to stage the event in the grounds of Melford Hall, which makes a perfect backdrop.
"Holy Trinity Church is one of the finest wool churches in the country and the fair is a great way ot highlighting what the appeal committee is trying to do."
Churchwarden David Hamand said: "We need to raise more than £600,000 and the parochial church council is tremendously grateful for the amount of work our fundraising committee has put in to initiate the whole weekend.
"Our church needs new lighting, acoustic and heating systems, the Tudor stained-glass windows have to be restored and renovation work is needed on the bells and bell frame.
"It is a huge task but we're hoping for a lot of support from local people as well as from further afield and, of course, a fine weekend."
The fair will open from 10.30am to 5pm and admission is £5, concessions, £4, children aged five to 16, £2, family ticket, £12. To book in advance at discounted rates, visit www.oakleighfairs.co.uk/melford.
Long Melford - country fair plan
Suffolk Free Press, 25 February 2008
Long Melford is to host its first country fair, with profits going to the village church appeal.
The Midsummer Craft and Country Show will be in the grounds of Melford Hall on June 21 and 22, and promises to be a major event.
Professional displays will include agility dogs, falconry, and antique farm machinery, while demonstrations of traditiADVERTISEMENTonal rural pursuits will bring history to life.
Plenty of children's entertainment is planned, including donkey rides, a children's farm and a fairground. Other attractions will include a food hall, and arts, crafts and gifts marquees.
The fair is being organised by Oakleigh Fairs on behalf of the Long Melford Church Appeal.
An impressive £84,000 has already been raised since the appeal was launched eight months ago, but it still has a long way to go. Churchwarden David Hamand said: "We need to raise about £600,000 to restore and enhance the church. We want to update the facilities for the general public to use."
Heating, lighting and sound equipment all need bringing up to date, and restoration work is needed on the Tudor stained glass windows. Mr Hamand said: "We are almost ready to install the new lighting inside and have got permission from the diocese, but we urgently need £200,000 for this."
Donations to Holy Trinity Church can be made via www.justgiving.com/longmelford/supportus.
News from Last Year
You also can read what was said about Oakleigh in the News in 2007.
