Westbury buzzed with excitement on Saturday as residents flocked to the town centre for the town’s Street Fayre.
The day was officially opened at 10am by Westbury Mayor Christine Mitchell and the town crier, who introduced a day of fun and frivolities. The High Street, Maristow Street, Edward Street and the Market Place were all packed with stalls and activities to keep the whole family amused and entertained.
The biennial event, which was organised by Westbury Town Council together with Westbury Lions and other local organisations, really was a case of bigger and better as there were a number of new attractions, including the petting zoo and water walkers.
Cllr Mitchell summed up the day in one word. “Brilliant!” she said. “It was very very well attended, it gets better every time we have it. They’ve all been good, but we had new attractions this year and I think people really enjoyed it.”
Cllr Dave Windess, who co-ordinated this year’s event, said: “I think it went very well – we’ve had such a lot of positive feedback. It’s good that the people of Westbury actually came together for this event.”
“The petting zoo was absolutely fantastic, the evening concert was very well attended, and the Beatles tribute band was absolutely fantastic. Now we’ve got to start thinking about the next one!”
A programme of events in the market place ran throughout the day, and included performances and demonstrations from the Majorettes, the Youth Dance Group, a junk band, ‘Jo Jangles’, and the Black Belt Fitness Zone. The dog show, which took place in the afternoon, had a large number of entries and there were a number of categories that entrants put their canine companions forward in.
Excited children enjoyed pony rides around the All Saints Church yard. Animal lovers were also fascinated by the petting zoo in the High Street, which brought out unusual creatures such as snakes and lizards for people hold and touch.
For the more energetic, there were a number of inflatables and activities such as the “water walker.” Adventurous children were eager to conquer the massive climbing tower, while there were also fairground rides and entertainments.
Throughout the town centre, there were lots of stalls, activities and sideshows manned by local organisations and charities, as well as food stalls which included a hog roast in the market place. Street entertainers with balloons, juggling balls and even stilts delighted bystanders with their skills. The fun extended throughout the town with activities and events in the library and at Westbury Pool.
As the streets finally began to quieten down, the evening entertainment kicked off in style in the market place. Armed with food and beverages from the local establishments, people were able to enjoy the entertainment on stage. Comedian Geoff Whiting compared the event, which featured local performers and bands, including The Everyday Symphony. Beatles tribute band Sgt. Pepper’s Only Dartboard Band, who have performed at festivals and events in the USA, Europe, and the UK went down a treat with the audience, as did The Doubtful Guest.
